Atlanta Braves Organist Picks Up Accordion For Upcoming Jazz Concert
Atlanta Braves organist Matthew Kaminski, shown with guitarist Dan Coy, is also an accordionist. “I’ve played it for a long time because my dad plays the accordion,” Kaminski told “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes. He will be performing May 9 with his group Gypsy Jazz Fellowship at the Red Clay Music Foundry.
Myke Johns / WABE
Matthew Kaminski is a man of many songs and of many instruments. Best known as the organist for the Atlanta Braves, he is also an accomplished jazz organist as well as — as some might be surprised to learn — an accordionist.
He performs with his group Gypsy Jazz Fellowship on May 9 at the Red Clay Music Foundry.
The group is heavily informed by artists like Django Reinhardt and the Parisian music of the 1920s.
“Accordion players in and around Paris would play all these dance halls and clubs, playing different waltzes and such,” Kaminski tells “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes. “To me, it’s a really intriguing style of music and very romantic-sounding.”
While fans of the organist may be new to the sight of Kaminski with the instrument, as it turns out, accordion runs in the family.
“I’ve played it for a long time because my dad plays the accordion,” he says. “I come from a big Polish family. My dad would play for all the family get-togethers.”
And with that, he launches into a rendition of the polka tune “Roll Out the Barrel.”
“Along the way of studying the organ and the piano, I kinda kept up with the accordion. My dad would show me things through the years. It’s always kind of been there.”
This isn’t indicative of a career change though.
Kaminski has also just released a new album titled “Matthew Kaminski’s Baseball Organ in Hi-Fi,” containing fan favorites and tunes that he has made popular during Braves games over the years.
“This one’s for the Braves fans who have been asking me over the years for this recording,” he says.
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