David Graves (left) is seen performing with the other members of the Quarter 'til Four Trio: Steve Kadlecek on violin and Daniel Boehmcke on guitar. (Photo by Daphne Dennis)

by Len Lear

David Graves, 56, a musician who has lived in West Mt. Airy since 1998, has heard every joke that could possibly be made about the accordion. The world’s most famous accordion player, Lawrence Welk (1903-1992), had a very popular TV show, mostly with old viewers, from 1955 to 1982 (“A one and a two…”), but he and his accordion have been the butt of comedians’ jokes ever since.

“People say the accordion got that cheese factor from Lawrence Welk, that he kind of damned it into oblivion,” Graves told us in a January, 2014, interview, “but now we’ve moved on, and there’s a whole generation who wouldn’t even know who Lawrence Welk is. That’s why the accordion is coming back. Five years ago, a friend saw an accordion for sale on eBay for $50 and gave it to me as a present. I never played one before. It sat there for four years until 2012. I don’t know what made me pick it up, but I was bitten by the bug,”

Graves was born and raised in Newtown Square and moved to West Philly to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a degree in engineering in 1982. It was there that he began to hook up with various musical groups. Graves now plays with several local bands. His next performances will be on September 10, 8 p.m., at the Lancaster Swing Dance Society, 2823 Columbia Ave. in Lancaster, and September 18 at the Jenkintown Festival of the Arts. Last week we conducted the following interview with him:

Is the accordion still making a comeback?

Very much so. The clearest evidence is the success of the accordion stores in Philadelphia. We have two, and both are thriving! The one on 2nd Street has recently moved into even larger quarters.

Do you still practice at least two hours a day?

At least. At some point, practice becomes a means to getting better and not a thing unto itself. You practice because you want to be able to play a thing better, not because you're supposed to practice. Public performance is a fantastic way of accelerating this change in viewpoint.

I recently played a wedding and was asked for a rendition of “Appalachian Spring.” If you're familiar with the piece, you'll know it's not quite suited for the accordion (as in NOT AT ALL). Along with my violinist, Steve Kadlecek, we wrote an arrangement, practiced it to death and brought tears (of joy) to the bride's eyes. I wasn't counting or even thinking about the time spent, although it was quite a bit.

Do you still play with the local bands Quarter ‘til Four Trio, Trailer Park Trio and/or Gin Canaries?

The Canaries and QTFT are quite active. The TPT members are all still very active but not as a group. As the Canaries, we just played Jazz Age on the Delaware at Glen Foerd at the end of July and have a few more festivals coming up. I played accordion and piano for that performance.

The last time we talked to you in early 2014, your day job was as a director of technical services at BizTech, an Oracle consulting and IT services firm. Are you still doing that?

I have moved on to my own consultancy, but I’m still working in IT. I’m currently under large contract to a pharmaceutical company.

What was the hardest thing you ever had to do?

Keeping it in the realm of music, I'd say it was my first piano recital at age 14. It still gives me a shudder thinking about it. I knew the music perfectly until I had 300 people watching me. Lesson learned: if you can't play it in performance, then you don't know it.

What is the best advice you ever received?

"Don't quit your day job" (after singing). But seriously, it may have been my father saying not to worry what other people are thinking. In fact, I think you do need to worry about what other people are thinking, for example, when they think you're singing off key, but not when it comes to how you conduct your own life: the judgment of your life choices should come from you. Ultimately that was my father's advice.

Which talent that you do not have would you most like to have? Why?

Easy: my kingdom for perfect pitch! (Luckily, it's something you can learn and get better at.)

What is your most treasured possession?

My cat. If my house were to catch fire, that's what I'd grab first on my way out the door.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I guess I could live anywhere, but what I'd like to do is spend some time looking for small gathering areas where small bands are playing — maybe a violin and accordion, a bass — and where people are eating and drinking, laughing and dancing to the music. Small towns in France and across Europe. This might happen soon. My band mates have been discussing the possibility of taking some months off and touring the old country, playing as we go.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I've been spending my time keeping the weeds from the garden and making Pesto and more pesto! I can't cut the stuff fast enough. I've got about a bushel of tomatoes I need to either eat or turn into a sauce. I've got some jalapenos and habaneros growing. I like to refer to my little garden as "tomato sauce in a box.”

If you want to mention any family members, please do so.

My special lady friend and partner (I can't say “girl friend” after 40?), Laurie Zimmerman, works at UPenn Perelman Medical School and teaches dance. Quite coincidentally, she danced to music I played for years before we met (in other circumstances: on the internet). We laughingly went back and compared notes at how many of the same dances we went to, she dancing, me playing.

More information at 215-748-8628 or Dave@gincanaries.com. You can also check the bands’ websites: gincanaries.com and trailerparktrio.com.