Marion Jacobson, author of the new University of Illinois Press book Squeeze This! A Cultural History of the Accordion in America, will travel to Northern California in mid-August for a series of music and signing events.  She will be joined at the San Francisco and Oakland events by local accordionists.

Canada’s Maclean’s magazine is one of the latest publications to laud Squeeze This!:

“An academic resource, a detailed history, and a quirky travelogue. . . . [Time] to roll out the barrel and uncork the champagne: with this book, the lowly squeezebox has begun to get its cultural due.”

August 16, 2012 – 7:00 p.m.
Accordion Apocalypse
255 10th St., San Francisco, CA 94103
Reading and concert (No cover)
Emceed by Luz Gaxiola* with music by The Mad Maggies and Sheri Mignano

*Luz Gaxiola plays with Circus Finelli, a San Francisco based clown ensemble she co-founded in 2005. Luz combines comedy, circus antics, and accordion to create dynamic interactive performances. She plays songs from all over the world, from Russian folk-songs to Mexican norteno standards.

August 17, 2012 – 6:00 p.m.
Smythe’s Accordion Center
416 25th Street, Oakland, CA  94612
Concert and book signing (No cover)
Emceed by Renee de la Prade, music by Andre Thierry and Rob Reich**

**Rob Reich performs a diverse repertoire of solo accordion music, including original music, French waltzes, Ragtime numbers, and Jazz standards.  Since 2010, Reich has been a member of the acclaimed ensemble Tin Hat.  He also plays in the acclaimed Bay Area jazz groups Nice Guy Trio and Gaucho, and works as composer and musical director for Circus Bella.   More info at www.robreich.com.

August 18-19
Cotati Accordion Festival
La Plaza Park
Cotati, CA
Book signing

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Publication of Squeeze This! is supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation