Walter Kuhr is the man responsible for the creation of The Main Squeeze Orchestra as well as the owner of Main Squeeze, a Lower East Side boutique "For All Your Accordion Needs" and the center of the accordion community in New York City.
One night, after attending an accordion festival, Kuhr dreamt he was the conductor of an all-female accordion orchestra. Not just any all-female accordion orchestra, but an orchestra of unsurpassable quality.
The next morning, he began recruiting among his female students.
Under the tutelage of his mother, Walter Kuhr began wrestling with the unwieldy squeezebox as a six-year old in Germany. Later, he studied classical music in Frankfurt, and played piano in a jazz quartet, as well as performing polkas and tangos with his accordion in local clubs. In al88 he came to New York's Harlem to study jazz for six months.
Since then, Kuhr and various partners have cranked out polkas and tangos in smaller clubs and nightspots. With his band The Last of the International Playboys, a nine-piece latin jazz and lounge act, he plays the big clubs of New York and Florida. Having recorded two albums already -- The LP: "Last of the International Playboys: Vegas Jazz and Latin Lounge" and the EP "Havana Bananas", their third CD "The Lonliest Man in the World" is due out soon.
In addition to MSO, the Playboys and Main Squeeze, Kuhr also runs "Accordion Night" at The Cutting Room in midtown. The monthly event serves as a showcase for some of the best accordion players around. If you're lucky you can catch Walter and his infamous ballydancer, TK, performing.
Kuhr has also created his own line of internationally praised accordions available at his store. You can hear Walter playing them by clicking here.