NCO brings Conjunto music to east Baghdad

Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo A. Herrera, a Nipomo, Calif., native with Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, brought his accordion to Iraq to help him unwind during his down time. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Courtney Marulli, 2nd BCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs)  

RUSTAMIYAH, IRAQ

02.08.2007

Courtesy Story

2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division

By Spc. Courtney Marulli
2nd BCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq – During deployments, many Soldiers turn to music as a way to pass the time and unwind after a long mission. Some sing, others compose music, while others play with whatever musical instrument they have to play.

The guitar is a popular instrument in deployment zones, but for one noncommissioned officer, his guitar got replaced with something more unusual; the accordion.

Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo A. Herrera, a battle NCO for Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, is a self-taught musician of various talents, but his latest venture is playing the accordion to Conjunto music.

"I just like the way it sounds and it's challenging," he said.

Herrera, of Nipomo, Calif., said as a Mexican-American, he was exposed to Hispanic music and culture growing up and his love for the sound stayed with him. He said he enjoys Tejano music, but it wasn't until his military career led him to Fort Hood, Texas, that he became interested in Conjunto music.

Conjunto means a group, or together, Herrera said, and that is where the accordion comes in. A Conjunto consists of an accordion player, a bass player, a drummer and a bajo sexto player.

The Conjunto style of music started in the 1800s when German settlers moved to northern Mexico and southern Texas areas.

"They brought polka music with them," he said.

The mixture of polka and traditional Mexican music fused into what is now known as Conjunto. Herrera said it sounds like a Hispanic polka with Spanish lyrics.

"Anywhere in South Texas you can find it," he said.

Herrera has been in the Army for 18 years and plans on retiring in San Antonio where he can enjoy the form of music that he loves the most.

As a child, Herrera played the guitar and other instruments by teaching himself.

"I kind of have a good ear for music," he said. "I don't really read music. I hear it and can play."

As a teenager, Herrera played in a few bands, all of different genres. He said he had always played the guitar, bass guitar and drums, but he when he became interested in Conjunto, he wanted to be the lead.

"I chose it because the accordion in this style of music is more or less the lead guitar," he said. "The drums and bass are not quite as complex, so it wasn't a challenge. I wanted to be lead guitar, so I picked up the accordion."

Before he deployed, Herrera said he got to play with Sierra Gold, a band out of Pueblo, Colo., that performs Conjunto music. His musical plans while in Iraq are to improve his skills.

"I've been at a plateau," he said.

Herrera, who usually practices an hour a day when possible, said he wasn't able to practice as much leading up to the deployment due to work and wanting to spend as much time as he could with his family.

"My goal is to be better than when I left," he said.

Herrera is quick to point out that his accordion is not like the one "Weird Al" Yankovic uses, which is a piano accordion.

"I use a button accordion," he said.

A button accordion varies from the piano accordion because it has several buttons instead of keys for notes.

"It's a little smaller and sounds a bit different," he said.

There are 34 buttons, but 68 notes because, like the harmonica, the accordion makes one note as the air is leaving and another when air comes back in.

"The most challenging is finding the notes," Herrera said.

Herrera has been playing the accordion for six years. He said it takes a lot of practice to be able to play and not look at the buttons.

"I bought my first accordion at a second-hand store," he said. "It took me awhile to start learning."

• Date Taken: 02.08.2007
• Date Posted: 02.08.2007 09:41
• Story ID: 9088
• Location: RUSTAMIYAH, IQ