TANGO WALZER JAZZ 1

New compositions in modern rhythms and with stylish accompanying harmonies for accordion solo with stradella bass, button or piano keyboard

The supplement to the successful instruction book “Accordion Jazz Chords”.

With 12 new original compositions and detailed texts on the main topic “open notation”.

Tangos, waltzes and jazz pieces with outstanding accompaniment harmonies and left-hand (!) chords that go far beyond the traditional sound harmonics of the standard bass accordion with its “fixed” major, minor and seventh chords.

In his compositions, Norbert Seidel shows in an astonishingly simple way how to achieve a completely new, colourful, sometimes wonderfully exotic-sounding accordion playing style, which makes it possible to play jazz and other music masterfully or, later on, to improvise to one’s heart’s content.

Following his groundbreaking instruction book “Accordion Jazz Chords,” in which he describes his playing method in detail, he offers with the music pieces in this book more works for playing practice. The compositions are varied in their musical style, different in their technical requirements and effective and atmospheric in sound.

They are even playable on small instruments with 48 or 72 basses, allowing unexpected “free” sounds and chord combinations in the left hand of the accordion to be heard.

All pieces are based on a well thought-out pedagogical concept that has been tried and tested in practice for many years, enabling players to progress quickly and successfully. The author explains various aspects of this in detail in the text section that precedes the pieces of music in this booklet.

Norbert Seidel

1962

Born in Hannover

1969–1980

Accordion lessons with Manfred Bernhard at the Volkshochschule in Seelze near Hannover

Late 1970s

Establishing a school band (accordion, drums, guitar) and first private and public performances

1982

High school graduation, then military service and subsequent civil service

1983–1991

Law studies at Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) Munich – without formal degree

From 1984

Assistant director and dramaturge at small theaters in Munich. Leading and organizing various freelance theater groups at LMU’s Institute for Theater Studies in Munich. Leading a freelance theater ensemble and collaborating with different small theaters in Munich and festival theaters in the surrounding area, directing. Various performances as accordionist at family celebrations, etc.

1988/89

Freelance work as theater critic for the newspaper Münchner Stadtzeitung

1990/91

Founding and organizing a free touring theater, directing

1992–1994

Retraining as accordion/harmonica instrument maker with Stefan Modricker in the Black Forest – graduation: journeyman’s examination

1996–1998

Self-employment as accordion/harmonica instrument maker despite missing master examination, with special permission of the Chamber of Crafts Munich and Upper Bavaria

Since 1998

Employee at a Munich wholesaler of musical instruments

1999

Master exam as accordion/harmonica instrument maker

2000/2001

Concerned with extended chords on the accordion’s standard bass manual, activities as composer and author (work on the book „Accordion Jazz Chords“)

Since 2005

Accordion teacher at the Freies Musikzentrum e.V. in Munich and the Haidhauser School of Music in Munich

2005–2007

Accordion teacher at the Akkordeon-Club-Eichenau e.V.

Since about 2007

Concerned with the early history of squeezebox instruments (focus on bando­neon) and establishing a respective collection of instruments and materials

Since 2009

Married to Sölve Seidel

2022–2023

Education as a graphic designer (OfG final certificates in graphic software and graphic design)