ArtistsPalooza's July Featured Artist

The accordion has to be one of the coolest and most underrated instruments around. You don’t often see someone lugging around a huge bellows-driven-free-reed-aerophone-windbag-piano-squeezebox, but the accordion makes the most wonderful music. Just ask our July featured artist, a 92-year-old accordionist named Bob Souza.

Bob had worked for Dave’s dad for years before Dave discovered Bob’s extraordinary musical talent. A hard-working and detail-oriented office worker, Bob Souza didn’t seem like a man who could play the accordion like nobody’s business. As it turns out, Bob has been playing the accordion for over 60 years and is a wonderfully talented musician.

When Bob’s health started failing him and he ended up in hospice care, Dave headed up to Oakland to film Bob playing his accordion. Dave and Marissa, one of our ArtistsPalooza interns, have done a fantastic job putting together this beautiful video celebrating Bob Souza’s musical talent.

So ladies and Gentlemen without further ado, Bob Souza, ArtistsPalooza’s July Featured Artist!