… if you have Shirra Assel's map!

Anne and I have been getting into Ukrainian music a bit lately. A
large percentage of the population here in Edmonton is historically
fairly recent arrivals from the Ukraine, and they keep up some of
their traditions.

In some cases, they are updating these traditions. The Kubasonics
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubasonics) fold a lot of rock music
into the traditional. I'm afraid they (along with various indie
hipsters who use the instrument with various degrees of genuine
enthusiasm or ironic detachment) undermine what seemed like timeless
wisdom from Chuck and Lyle; you can indeed play accordion in a rock
and roll band. We heard them live last weekend and they were great –
we bought their "Miaso" album and are getting a huge kick out of it.
And I mean in a good way – I'm told that Ukrainian's have a curse that
goes "Nai tebe kachka kopne," meaning "A pox on you!", but literally
translated as "May a duck kick you!"

We also have a more traditional CD by the Chychul Orchestra. I was
surprised to hear a couple of familiar melodies on it under unfamiliar
names… the melody of "Life in the Finland Woods" has three parts; the
first two of which provides the musical setting for "Mockingbird Hill"

"Butterfly Dance" is apparently of Ukrainian Canadian origin, and
provides the melody for the children's song, "The More We Get Together
(The Happier We'll Be)." Just a week ago, the Ice Cream Man came
through our neighborhood, playing that song. Also, "Oh Susannah" and
"The Entertainer." Those are the only three songs I've every heard
his little truck play, and I was in turn reminded of a story I heard
on the CBC
(http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/blog/2007/08/07/new_songs_for_ice_cream_trucks_1.html)
about a fellow in New York who got tired of hearing the same old ice
cream truck songs over and over again, so he wrote some new ones.

And of course, I can't about songs and ice cream trucks without
remembering Lyle working on "Portable Picnic" while working as an Ice
Cream Man. And wouldn't Portable Picnic make a great song for the Ice
Cream Man's truck to play while he's driving around my neighborhood?

So you see... all roads lead to Ishtar!