Guy Klucevsek

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He became famous with the interpretations of other musicians' compositions on Manhattan Cascade (april 1991 - CRI, 1991). On Polka Dots & Laser Beams (january 1990 - Evva, 1991) he interpreted works by the likes of Tom Cora, Anthony Coleman, Daniel Goode, Nicolas Collins, Robin Holcomb, Bobby Previte, etc. More of these "polkas from the fringe" appeared on Who Stole the Polka? (july 1991 - Evva, 1992).

His first masterpiece was Flying Vegetables of the Apocalypse (XI, 1991), that collects dance scores, including the 17-minute Union Hall (composed in 1989) for accordion, tenor saxophone and double bass, the 9-minute Waltzing Above Ground (1988) and the 9-minute Perusal (1988).

Citrus My Love (RecRec, 1995) is his second masterpiece. It contains the eight-movement Citrus My Love, for accordion, violin and cello (Erik Friedlander) and the three-movement Passage North, for accordion, violin, cello and double bass.

Subsequent releases have been less significant: Transylvanian Softwear (march 1993 - Starkland, 1995), a solo performance of themes from around the world; Stolen Memories (Tzadik, 1996), with Tesknota for accordion, violin, cello and bass; Accordion Tribe (Intuition, 1998), for an ensemble of accordionists (Maria Kalaniemi from Finland, Bratko Bibic from Slovenia, Lars Hollmer from Sweden, Otto Lechner from Austria); Altered Landscapes (march 1997 - Evva, 1999), containing an impressive program of Henry Cowell, John Cage, Alvin Lucier, Alan Hovhaness, and Klucevsek's own Altered Landscapes; Free Range Accordion (Starkland, 2000), interpretation of themes from Bacharach to Satoh, and notably Lois Vierk's Blue Jets Red Sprites (1996); Accordance (june 2000 - Winter & Winter, 2001) and Notefalls (Winter & Winter, 2007) with accordionist Alan Bern; Tales From The Cryptic (september 2002 - Winter & Winter, 2003), with saxophonist Phillip Johnston of the Microscopic Septet; The Multiple Personality Reunion Tour (Innova, 2012), a tribute of sorts to his idols; etc.

Klucevsek also composed music for theater pieces such as Chinoiserie (1995) and Cirque Lili (2000).

The Heart of the Andes (september 2001 - Winter & Winter, 2002) includes the suite for puppet show The Heart Of the Andes.

The Well-Tampered Accordion (Winter & Winter, 2004) collects 27 brief pieces, including the Four Portraits (2003) and the Accordion Misdemeanors, a musical travelogue through the various ethnic communities of the USA.

In 1997 Guy Klucevsek, Lars Hollmer, Bratko Bibic, Maria Kalaniemi and Otto Lechner formed a quintet of accordionists, the Accordion Tribe, which debuted with Accordion Tribe (march 1997), followed by Sea Of Reeds (november 2001) and Lunghorn Twist (november 2005).

Song of Remembrance (Tzadik, 2007) contains ten pieces from the suite Fallen Shadows (1990), including the Song of Remembrance for contralto, piano and violin.

Dancing on the Volcano (Tzadik, 2009) collects compositions for dance and film.

Polka From the Fringe (1992 - Starkland, 2012) is a double-disc album of avantgarde polka pieces composed by an all-star cast: Mary Ellen Childs, Anthony Coleman, Tom Cora, Guy De Bievre, Dick Connette, William Duckworth, Steve Elson, Carl Finch, Fred Frith, David Garland, Peter Garland, Daniel Goode, Rolf Groesbeck, Robin Holcomb, Phillip Johnston, Joseph Kasinskas, Aaron Jay Kernis, John King, Mary Jane Leach, David Mahler, Bobby Previte, Bill Ruyle, Elliot Sharp, Carl Stone, Lois Vierk, William Obrecht, and Peter Zummo.

Teetering On The Verge Of Normalcy (Starkland, 2016) recycles pieces from the longer works Ruth Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Fallen Shadows (the Song of Remembrance) and adds a dozen new ones to his vast repertoire. As usual, the winners tend to be on the comic side, the pieces that mock circus music (Moose Mouth Mirror), ragtime (Haywire Rag), tango (Riding The Wild Tangaroo), Nino Rota (Little Big Top), etc. But the pensive side is no less effective with the Bach-ian aria The Day The Snow Fell Upwards, the nostalgic singalong The Swan And The Vulture, the abstract psychological soundscape of Teetering On The Verge Of Normalcy and the Piazzolla tribute The Asphalt Orchid.