Accordion music

Odette called me up last week and asked if I'd like to join her on Saturday night for an accordion concert at a small bar near the Canal St. Martin where the audience is encouraged to sing along with the music. Saturday night? Sure, I have no plans. (I grumble under my breath - anything's better than spending another weekend alone . . . (

I'm ready to try anything - and am delighted to find that it really is fun to sing along with the accordion group called "Les Tigresses Diatoniques".

They pass out the words to each song and I am surprised at how everyone seems to know the music. The classic tunes are from Brassens, Brel, Piaf, etc. OK, there aren't any 18 year olds in here - but the age range is much larger than I would have expected. Here we are singing "Padam" made famous by Edith Piaf.


I learned something, too. The "diatonic" accordion has only buttons, and NOT piano keys. I never noticed before.


On Sunday, I went back to the rue Mouffetard where they feature accordion music, sing-alongs and dancing in the street every Sunday from ~12 to ~2pm.