ClassicsToday.com: 10/10 "Highest Rating"
Guido Deiro, the Italian-American accordion virtuoso-- frequently called "The Great Deiro"-- was of paramount importance in the popularization of the accordion in the early 20th century. The first accordionist to perform on the Vaudeville stage (1910), he was also the first accordionist to make sound recordings (Edison Wax Cylinders, 1911). For many years Deiro was a headline attraction at the great vaudeville houses throughout America and abroad, and made more than 100 recordings for the Columbia record company. On Bridge's 2-CD set, Henry Doktorski's sparkling performances of Deiro's music quickly confirm the reason for Deiro's immense popularity. In 1913, Deiro met the young vaudeville performer, and later-to-be Hollywood starlette, Mae West, while both were performing on a vaudeville show in Detroit. The couple quickly fell in love and secretly married. Henry Doktorski's liner notes detail Deiro and West's torrid love affair, and early photograph's of Deiro, provided by Deiro's son, Count Guido Deiro Jr., add to the significance of this release. Deiro's delightful compositions are a window onto an era long past, much like the re-discovery of Scott Joplin's music, twenty-five years ago.
Reviews:
“There’s no question that this release lovingly revives a key figure in popular American music.” - ClassicsToday.com (10/10 Highest Rating)
“Few recordings are made with as much tender loving care as Henry Doktorski’s CD of the complete solo accordion music of Guido Deiro. The fact that the annotator and the performer are the same person is remarkable, but it makes sense that Doktorski’s passion for this music as a scholar would translate into vibrant performances and that his clarity in performance would be the result of his scholarship. I’m eager to hear more.” - New Music Box
“This two CD set is certainly worth the money. Henry Doktorski’s performance is indeed breathtaking. It is as if someone were transported back to the days when Guido Deiro himself was performing these songs. Mr Doktorski’s sparkling performance certainly does Mr. Deiro’s songs justice.” - VERY-CLEVER.COM
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Disc A
1. Temperamental Rag
2. Pink Slippers Valse
3. Preparedness March
4. Il Pentimento Waltz
5. Royal Flying Corps March
6. Kismet Fox Trot
7. Orazione e Marcia Miltare
8. Western Stars March
9. Moonlight Waltz
10. Hand Grenade Throwers March
11. Deiro Rag
12. Muskateers March
13. Deirina Mazurka
14. I Don't Care Polka
15. Lido Tango
16. Queen of the Air March
17. Valse Caprice No. 1
18. Neapolitan Polka
19. My Florence Waltz
20. Egypto Fantasia
Disc B
1. Zampa Rag
2. Lola Fox Trot
3. Breitenbush March
4. Tango Tosino
5. Guido's Royal March
6. Light & Shadow Waltz
7. Variety Polka
8. Valse Pirouette
9. Marines March
10. Dolores Waltz
11. Los Bomberos March
12. Accordionette Waltz
13. Young Accordionist March
14. Little Accordion Player Waltz
15. Torpedo March
16. Beautiful Girl Waltz
17. The Peasant Quadrille
18. Radio Waltz
19. Dimples Polka
20. The Accordion Girl Waltz
21. Sharpshooters March
22. Veno (Duet) Fox Trot
23. Jewel Waltz (Duet)
24. King Boy (Duet) Fox Trot
25. Minneapolis March (Duet)
26. California Mazurka (Duet)
27. Sharpshooters March (Reprise)
Henry Doktorski, accordion
BRIDGE 9138A/B (two discs)