About


Patrick Farrell is a Brooklyn, NY based accordionist, brass fanatic, composer and bandleader who has been described as a “wizard” by Feast of Music and as a player of “mordant wit and blistering speed” by Lucid Culture. An open-eared approach and consistent curiosity about music have led him to study and perform in an ever-expanding variety of musical fields, including collaborations in theater, dance and spoken word.

Farrell’s wanderlust was fueled from an early age by the frequent moving entailed with growing up in a military family. As an adult he has lived in Ann Arbor, MI, San Francisco, CA, New Orleans, LA and Brooklyn, NY, constantly learning and soaking up the music of each of these highly individual cities. He has also been on numerous extended travels to the farther reaches of East Europe and the Balkans, learning music and language and making lasting friendships. On these trips he regularly studies with virtuoso Goran Alachki of Skopje, Macedonia, who remains his primary accordion teacher.

Upon moving to Brooklyn from New Orleans in the spring of 2007, Farrell quickly integrated into the NYC music world. He leads his own band, the circus/new-music/comedy group Stagger Back Brass Band, inspired by a love of brass bands he first discovered on the streets of New Orleans. Stagger Back released its self-titled debut recording in January 2009. He is also a member of the chamber/folk group Ljova and the Kontraband, led by violist Ljova Zhurbin, which released its debut album “Mnemosyne” in September 2008 to critical praise. Graciously welcomed in by the NYC klezmer community, he plays in Michael Winograd’s Klezmer Ensemble and is featured on the album “Bessarabian Hop”, as well as regularly sharing the stage with luminaries such as Frank London (Klezmer Brass All-Stars/The Klezmatics), Margot Leverett (Klezmer Mountain Boys), Alicia Svigals (The Klezmatics) and Eve Sicular (Metropolitan Klezmer/Isle of Klezbos). Other current groups include Russian/Romanian Roma-music ensemble Romashka, Serbian-inspired brass band Veveritse, and various improvisational and new music settings.

Farrell also maintains his membership in Panorama Brass Band, the Mardi Gras season parade outgrowth of Panorama Jazz Band of New Orleans. He was a full time member of the group from 2002-2006 and is featured on all three Panorama albums “Another Hot Night in Februrary”, “Panoramaland” and "Come Out Swingin". You can find him every carnival season in the streets and clubs of New Orleans, blowing his alto horn in an orange shirt!

Patrick plays a 120-bass “Superior 2 President Oro” converter piano accordion made by Guerrini & Figli Accordion Makers of Castelfidardo, Italy.




Recent theater and dance credits include:

  • ”Stone Soup”- (2009) composer- Performance Network Theater’s Children’s Theater Network (Ann Arbor)
  • "Between Two Worlds: Who Loved You Before You Were Mine"- (2009-10) accordionist/composer- Hot Festival, NYC
  • ”Echoes” and "Tikkun"- (2008-10) accordionist- Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company with Bente Kahan (NYC)
  • “Cyclone and the Pig-Faced Lady”- (2008) accordionist- NY Musical Theater Festival
  • ”Di Ksube”- (2008) accordionist- National Yiddish Theater/Folksbiene (NYC)
  • ”The Baker’s Wife”- (2007) arranger- Performance Network Theater
  • ”Fables”- (2007) composer- Performance Network Theater’s Children’s Theater Network
  • ”The Fantasticks”- (2006) music director/arranger/pianist- Performance Network Theater
  • ”She Loves Me”- (2004) music director/arranger/accordionist- Performance Network Theater
  • ”Salome”- (2004) composer/accordionist- Madame Palmetto’s Amusement Company (New Orleans)



(Mostly) Full Discography:
2009

  • Tall Tall Trees (NYC)- self-titled CD Good Neighbor Records
  • Panorama Jazz Band (New Orleans)- "Come Out Swingin" CD self-published
  • Stagger Back Brass Band (NYC)- self-titled CD PattySounds Records

2008

  • Michael Winograd's Infection (NYC)- self-titled CD Midwood Sound
  • Ljova and the Kontraband (NYC)- “Mnemosyne” CD Kapustnik Records
  • Mamie Minch (NYC)- “Razorburn Blues” CD self-published
  • Brenna MacCrimmon (Toronto)- "Kulak Misafiri" CD Green Goat Music

2007

  • Michael Winograd (NYC)- “Bessarabian Hop” CD self-published
  • Federico Britos & Le Jazz Hot (Miami)- "Douce Ambiance" CD PlatyPossum Records

2005

  • Panorama Jazz Band (N.O.)- “Panoramaland” CD self-published

2004

  • The Troublemakers (N.O.)- “Here Comes the Troublemakers” CD self-published

2003

  • Orquesta Milonga (N.O.)- self-titled CD self-published
  • Panorama Jazz Band (N.O.)- “Another Hot Night in Februrary” CD self-published
  • Bodó Band (Nagykálló, Hungary)- “Túl a Víszen” CD self-published

2001

  • Blind Spot Trio (Ann Arbor/Chicago)- “Relics of the Thing” CD self-published

1999

  • Poignant Plecostomus (A2)- “Empoisson” CD self-published

1998

  • Poignant Plecostomus w/Richard Tillinghast (A2)- “My Only Friends Were the Wolves” CD self-published
  • Poignant Plecostomus (A2)- “Touchez la Vache” CD self-published