Posts

KAXE Interview on the topic of ethnicity...Sat. Sept. 10th

September 08, 2011

Tune in to 91.7fm KAXE radio from Grand Rapids, MN to hear a LIVE interview on Sat. Sept. 10th from 10am-12noon with Michelle Jerabek on the topic of ethnicity and how Copper Box started.  You can listen in on your computer by clicking here: http://kaxe.org/streaming.aspx

 

Filed under:

Copper Box on RFD TV...Come and be part of the show!

September 08, 2011

Copper Box will be performing on RFD TV for the "Mollie B Polka Party" in Rothschild, WI.  The TV Taping will take place at The Patriot Center located at 10101 Market St. Rothschild, WI 54474 on Wed. Sept. 14th at 9pm. 

For more information and advance tickets visit http://www.rfdtv.com/events/mollie_b_polka_party/tickets/.

The TV show will be aired later this year.

Filed under:

NEW CD is HERE!! We are working on getting the new CD, PEOPLE CHANGE, into your hands...

July 18, 2011

Here's what one fan emailed us about the new release:

"We received your new CD today and absolutely love it! The mix of new work with classic former work has made for an awesome blend of 48+ minutes of outstanding Copper Box tunes! Your gift of music creativity is a true blessing and greatly enjoyed. We are SO THANKFUL to have literally stumbled upon Copper Box 6 years ago at Summerfest. Keep up the fine work."

 

CD TITLE: People Change  

Release Date: 7/13/11

Tracks include:

  1. Some People Change   (written by Danny Jerabek)
  2. Racing   (Danny Jerabek) *re-recorded
  3. Adios Baby   (Danny Jerabek)
  4. The Flame Will Never Die   (Sonny Landreth)
  5. Soulful Strut   (Eugene Record, William Nelson Sanders)
  6. Corrido #1   (Cesar Rosas)
  7. Tennessee Waltz   (Pee Wee King, Redd Stewart)
  8. Johnsonville Firemen's Two Step   (Danny Jerabek)
  9. Everytime I Try   (Danny and Michelle Jerabek)
  10. Irish Washerwoman   (Traditional)
  11. Searchin' for Something   (Danny Jerabek)
  12. Won't You Love Me Like That   (Danny Jerabek) *re-recorded

**Danny Jerabek: vocals, button accordion, keyboard, cornet, penny whistle;  Michelle Jerabek: vocals, tenor and bari saxophones, acoustic guitar, washboard; Kevin Junemann: bass, ukelele; Jason Van Ryzin: drums, percussion

**We recorded the CD mostly in our home studio with engineer Mark Richardson from Alchematic Productions.  Mixed by Danny Jerabek and Mark Richardson.  Mastered by Mark Richardson.

STORES:  We are working on getting the CD into your local music stores, so if you have a store that would like to sell the CDs, please email me at [email protected] and let me know the contact information.

RADIO/PODCASTS:  If you have a local radio station that would play the CD, please email me at [email protected] to make sure I have them on our list. 

PROMOTION:  If you know of any magazine, newspaper, blog that would review and promote the CD, please email me at [email protected] and I will add them to our list as well.

FANS:  Without you, we'd be stuck with our music in our hands....we appreciate your support!!!  Thank you! 

HOW CAN YOU GET A COPY OF THE CD?

  1. BUY ONLINE:  Go to our STORE page and buy via PAYPAL.  Allow 2-4 days for shipping. 
  2. BUY VIA SNAIL MAIL: If you'd rather send us a check via snail mail, you can send a check for $18.00 (includes tax, S&H) to Copper Box, PO Box 3966 Oshkosh, WI 54903.  We will send it to you immediately!
  3. VISIT YOUR LOCAL MUSIC STORE:  If they don't have it, please send us an email with the store name and location.  We will contact them about selling our CDs.  If you know of a local store that is NOT a music store, but would like to sell our CDs, please let us know by emailing me at [email protected] 
  4. COME TO A LIVE SHOW:  We always carry plenty of CDs with us at live shows, so check out the TOUR DATES on our website and come to a show to get your copy today!!

Thank you!!!

 

 

 

 

Filed under:

The WAMI Awards...

April 19, 2011

Had a great time attending The 2011 WAMI Awards Show at Turner Hall in Milwaukee, WI on Sunday, April 17th.  Copper Box was nominated for Americana Artist of the Year and Specialty Instrumentalist of the Year (Danny Jerabek).  We won both awards in 2010, but didn't take home the award this year. 

Had a great time meeting up with fellow musicians and listening to some great bands representing the WI Music Industry.  Congrats to all winners and nominees! 

 

Filed under:

The Accordion Is Back, and More Hip than Ever Written by Rebecca Lee

March 06, 2010

 

copper box

The accordion usually brings to mind old-fashioned folk music, washed-up buskers, and grandpa with his red suspenders-all things well past their expiration date. It doesn't connote an eclectic and upcoming rock/Tex-Mex/polka/country/jazz/blues/Zydeco band. Well, now it does.

Copper Box, a husband-and-wife leading duo backed by Drummer Jason Van Ryzin and Bassist Kevin Junemann, carves out a unique sound by exposing the accordion to an array of musical styles.

Danny Jerabek and his wife, Michelle, founded Copper Box in 2002 soon after they were married. The name Copper Box comes from copper's ability to conduct electricity, as music does for them, and the alternative word for the accordion, button-box.

Both from musical families in the same small Wisconsin farming community, Danny and Michelle grew up proficient in numerous instruments.

"The question wasn't if you were going to join the school band, but which instrument you were going to play," Michelle said.

In Copper Box, the couple covers vocals and everything besides drums and bass-boasting skills on the accordion, keys, cornet, saxophone, guitar, flute, washboard, etc.

Danny-the band's skilled, self-taught accordionist-received his first accordion at the age of nine and played traditional Czech and German tunes at his grandpa's request. His passion for the instrument developed after he listened to Mexican accordion players, like Steve "Esteban" Jordan, who exposed him to the instrument's true potential.

Copper Box's aim is to realize this potential and "evolve the accordion into different styles of music," pushing it outside of the instrument's typical genre-polka. The band's distinctive and eclectic sound has developed as its members have expanded their musical repertoire, listening to ‘70s rock, Aretha Franklin, Little Feet, Los Lobos, Texas Tornados, and the father of Zydeco-Clifton Chenier.

The Tejano, Chicano rock, and Zydeco sounds of the band's musical inspirations have filtered into its music and led to fun, one-of-a-kind songs like "The Pink Floyd Polka."
However, not everyone was receptive to Copper Box's hip new take on the accordion at first.

"Starting out, it was hard to get booked at a rock or music club," Michelle said. "The accordion was like a curse."

But through persistence and a positive attitude, the band has surmounted the opposition and won over fans, who often remark, "I don't normally like the accordion, but you guys play it cool."

"Now the accordion works for us, makes us different than every other band," Michelle said.

Copper Box performs more than 140 shows per year nationwide at everything from Oktoberfests to music festivals to community concerts. The band's latest album, In the Summertime, was nominated for Best Contemporary Polka CD of 2009 by the Polka America Corporation.

In the future, the band hopes to continue playing in different venues and developing audiences around the country, in addition to evolving its sound. The Tejano and Chicano flavor of the music has especially piqued the interest of the Hispanic population, so Danny and Michelle hope to pen more songs in Spanish.

To check out Copper Box's modern take on the accordion, drop by Bell's Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo on March 4 and see why this instrument is not just for grandpas.

Filed under:

CBx in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

January 03, 2009

"...Copper Box makes this easy (to listen to the accordion).  Hailing from Oshkosh, this group features Danny Jerabek, a true accordion virtuoso who translates the vivid physicality of the instrument into an idiomatic style that includes elements of rock, Zydeco, blues and (natch) polka.

His wife, Michelle Jerabek, sings with him and also plays flute, guitar and sax.  With bassist Kevin Junemann and drummer Jason Van Ryzin, they swing from originals to unusual covers-including a Pink Floyd polka-with style and humor.

Copper Box's latest album is "Need a Little Squeezin' " -an agreeable sentiment.

-Jon M. Gilbertson, Special to the Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI)

Filed under:

Showing 1 - 6 of 6 entries