New Jersey Live Accordionist Erik Vagen

Accordionists

and Keyboard Musicians

Erik-Hans Vagen
accordion, keyboards, vocals

Years of performing has brought me to the web for advertising. I realize now, I want to share my 47+ years of musical experience with other musicians as well as the musicians starting out. If it is hard finding work or gigs, we can look to others. Those that depend on the extra cash find it extremely hard when jobs are slow. We are all in the same boat.

We are now asking all to link with us for all the reasons listed. We need a horn player sometimes, is that person you? How about a bass player that can play senior work, is that you? I get Italian jobs that need someone versed in Italian. My blond hair, blue eyes does not always cut it. If you have answered no to the above, I say it is time you learned some other styles of music. We do and can learn from each other.

Having the experience to handle almost any kind of job now a days is necessary. Different keyboards and midi have changed the industry, but people still want the sounds of live music not necessarily synthesized. A combination of both has worked for me, mixing the sounds for a better sound. I use electric accordion with midi voices.

Live Music should be the way to entertain. Learning the trade by entertaining is the best way to learn fast and accurately. Work with as many different musicians as you can and work for different people. One can get stale very easily playing for the same people all the time. This way the diversity helps you learn the tunes and how to play different type of gigs. It takes a certain type of musician to diversify. Learn to play in more than one key. Four songs in a row played in the key of G for example gets boring to the ear. I realize some accordions and banjos only play in one key. Guitar players may prefer sharps over flats, but it is a good test for us. Trivia: Lady of Spain was originally in what KEY? It used to be I only played the country western songs in the sharp keys, but that has changed as my voice changed over the years.

I have posted many categories of musicians. What does one do when there is a sick call? I have no back up people to cover me. I look to the horn players to get a qualified replacement; they know who sounds the best and whom they can work with. If you are such a musician you are in great demand. Please write me immediately!

I am now 56 this year and one of the few accordionists left that had learned the old traditional styles of music: ethnic, dance band, Senior Work, ball room dance music. Most important, I still and always will enjoy playing. My father would say: "You are playing the notes, not the music." Does that sound familiar?

Where did I get my first experience? My Aunt's house in North Jersey at age ten. A mixed crowd of: Norwegians, Swedes, Germans and Italians. My aunt, Tanta Ingrid heard me practicing in the next room and I was asked to come out and play for the party. The hardest audience is you own family!

At fifteen I played with an old timer from Norway: Hans Larsen - accordionist. I remember him playing all the Strauss waltzes 8 pages each, while I followed along in the book. I learned all the Norwegian folk dance music from Hans as a teenager. Last week I played a Norwegian affair up in Kingston, NY. Did I know at age fifteen I would still be using all that music I learned?

After college, I played with my dear friend Frank Rummler from Belmar, NJ. A lot of musicians worked with Frank, a string bass player from Jersey City that moved down the shore in the 1950's. A fine entertainer for many years. Frank and I worked over twenty fours years together which included the Old Mill Inn in Spring Lake Heights 21 years until it was sold. Our favorite jobs were strolling table to table. Frank taught me the right way, do not to miss any customers. Over three years down at the Lampost in Pine Beach brought us good money, good friends and good food. An Italian restaurant that served large portions!

The team of Erik & Frank ended five years ago when Frank went home to be with the Lord. His summer concert series and ballroom dancing continues Thursdays in Belmar under the name of: The Frank Rummler Memorial Band. I am leading the four piece ballroom dancing for your pleasure. If you are not working, come down and DANCE! Most musicians are good dancers, you will be surprised.

I went to Berklee in Boston and learned a lot of advanced music, but my friends, one does not learn this business out of a textbook, it is on the job training. I have always said, "The ear is half the ball game." Tricks of the trade and good ears make musicians today. We have such musicians right here in New Jersey. A club owner said to me once: "You have to be from New York to be the better musician." I am sorry, I disagree. One has to do his/her homework and know what they are doing when it comes to music. Another said I was too young to know this kind of music (Italian party from Staten Island). What did you think I did when I was fifteen? Who at that age knows pea bodies? I sat in with other bands and learned the styles of music necessary to play the gig.

It always throws people when you speak more than one language. If you don't, it's not too late to learn. Pick up a CD and learn it! I speak fluent Dutch, however am still trying to learn German. My Norwegian is limited, because my Dad and I were out numbered by the Dutch (Vandenberg Mom's side) in my house. I will have to go to Bay Ridge Brooklyn more often!

Please help me continue to promote LIVE MUSIC and get the market back. We, the musicians need to link together to play the jobs out there, not out bid each other. We need backups and fill-ins all the time. Face it we are getting older too. Some may not want to travel anymore or have problems driving at night. These jobs have to be covered when the calls come in. I too, had a problem this past October where I had worked so many hours. I had to hire a chauffeur to drive me to the Saturday gig in New York State. Always work safely, no matter what the trade is.

The music business is real tough right now with all the DJs in business. I still have a problem with these CD burners. A man copied over four hundred CDs, goes out and makes more than $500.00 a night. His library includes music he did not pay a nickel! You see what I mean? Those of us that do Trust Fund work; there is a lot of money in the sale of 500 CDs that pays the wages for the concerts. They have to cut the size of the bands for concerts series due to illegal copying of CDs.

Why New Jersey Polka Band? It started in college when there was no marching band for the half time show. Being in the Midwest at the time, we took the spot. Someone heard me and I eventually got a gig playing Fiddler on the Roof with Rochester Symphony Orchestra in Minnesota. I did continue to entertain in the Midwest with polka bands. It was a long trip to Sioux Falls, SD. Who knows, maybe I will do the Host Fest one year in North Dakota. I was told about an accordion competition in Seattle, when?

I can now advertise music that no one else plays. I have captured the market in this area and in my next of the woods or jurisdiction. You can too! Search POLKA BANDS on the web. Where are most of these type bands? Midwest: Chicago, Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit, Pennsylvania. We have them right here in New Jersey and New York too. Real close to New York City. My parents came over on the boat in 1952. I can relate to the first generation Americans: Italians, Norwegians, Germans, and Dutch. Now search: LIVE MUSICIANS IN NEW JERSEY. A lot of my pages come up. Your name can come up too!

This is also my way to employ: 1 - 20 musicians at a time. Anything from playing German Bands, racetracks to concerts on the boardwalk, parade bands as well as restaurants. We have three parades featuring New Jersey Polka Band. Fifteen to twenty musicians, one town hired “forty three musicians” for their parade this year. A lot of school teachers play in the concert bands. I am looking to go 15 – 20 pieces this year. With the parades, we sometimes have four or five going the same time. This year we have had several requests for not only marching bands, but POLKA BANDS to march in parades.

Write me with you concerns. I want to put your name and dates on some of these pages. We have a page for: musicians available for work, the styles they play and if they travel. Please contact me by phone 1-800-308-7616-- or in New Jersey 1-732-495-9310 Email me: NJLIVE@comcast.net one may also write: Apparry54@aol.com for support. Dorian is a fine musician and retired school teacher. We now have a forum on the home page and live musician's page for you to share. This is for you to enter your requests and post your abilities as a musician. Photos and samples of music files can be posted right on the page of your choice. Check out the Dixie page with the different bands listed.

Below I am seen playing the Bell Accordion. I stayed with accordion with my European background. I also play the Bell Duovox IV. Kind of old, it is MIDI retrofit and has endless possibilities, but is still played as an accordion. Accordion sounds are mixed with the electric and MIDI options to give a full sound. Mix that with these new piano samples today and it sounds great. MIDI can sound great if mixed properly and can be used in a live ensemble. Just think I used to truck around a Leslie 760 in the old days.

IT DOES NOT AND IS NOT SUPPOSE TO REPLACE A LIVE ENSEMBLE!