Nathan Abshire is the king of the bayou accordion. Abshire has proven he still reigns with this 78-minute, 28-track collection of tunes from 1949 and on. These are old tracks, with the rough sound of old 78s, but rough and tumble playing on tracks like "Jolie Blonde" are totally inspired! He gives the music life as he plays with abandon, sings like a banshee, and takes his various bands wandering through Texas tunes, bluesy crossovers, and even some modern surprises (check the rhythmic games they play on "Musical Five Special"). The charm of "Shamrock Waltz" and the 1949 version of "Pine Grove Blues" are reason enough to own this collection. --Louis Gibson
