Accordion Trauma, Jazz Snobbery, and the Healing Power of Huey Lewis
You don’t expect a guitar virtuoso to start their story with a squeeebox.
But there I was, listening to Desi Serna’s latest chat with Mike Valeras, completely losing it when Mike admitted his musical origin story wasn't Led Zeppelin or Hendrix—it was the accordion. And not just casual accordion; we’re talking competitions. Playing for Greek parents. The works.
It’s a hilarious, humbling reminder that the path to the fretboard isn't always cool. Sometimes, it takes seeing a guy on MTV—specifically Keith Scott playing that chorused-out Strat for Bryan Adams—to make you realize, “Mom, I gotta play guitar.”
This episode of the Guitar Music Theory Podcast (Ep 182) isn't just a bio rundown; it’s a masterclass in shedding your ego to find your actual lane.
The “Jazz Snob” Phase (We’ve All Been There)
Mike’s trajectory is fascinating because it mirrors a curve so many of us in the creative fields go through. He went from 80s rock fanboy to serious academic. He attended Berklee, got the degrees, and admitted to going through a "Jazz Snob" phase.
You know the type. You start listening to Coltrane and Scofield, you learn what a contrafact is, and suddenly, power chords feel... beneath you. Mike talked about quitting his rock band, cutting his hair, and practically monasticizing himself to learn the language of bebop.
But here is the kicker—and honestly, the most refreshing part of the conversation:
He came back.
After years of high-level fusion and complex improvisation, Mike found himself in a bit of an existential crisis. The complexity was impressive, sure, but where was the fun?
The Nashville Reality Check
If you've ever thought about moving to Music City, Mike’s experience is the cold shower you probably need. He moved to town with a killer resume, degrees, and chops for days. He sent his CV to Belmont University ten times.
Crickets.
It wasn’t until he hung out, got involved in the community, and let people actually see him play that the doors opened. He calls Nashville “The Island on Lost”—it puts you exactly where you’re needed, not where you think you want to go.
For Mike, that wasn’t just teaching. It was landing a gig with "The Heart of Rock and Roll," a Huey Lewis and the News tribute band.
Golden Nugget: "Nashville pushes back if you push too hard... The town almost wants you to suffer a little bit so that it knows you're worthy."
finding the Pocket (and the Joy)
There is something profoundly beautiful about a guy with a Master’s degree in music finding his absolute bliss playing "I Want a New Drug" note-for-note.
Mike confessed that while jazz asks him to be a curator of high art, playing those 80s hits brings back the visceral, heart-fluttering excitement of being 17 years old. It’s not about showing off how many scales you know over a dominant chord (though he does drop a great little explanation of the Dominant Bebop Scale—mixolydian with a chromatic passing tone, for my fellow nerds).
It’s about serving the song. It’s about the fact that sometimes, Chris Hayes wrote the perfect solo in 1983, and you don’t need to improve it. You just need to honor it.
The Verdict
This conversation hit me harder than I expected. It’s a reminder that technical proficiency is a tool, not the destination. Whether you’re a bedroom strummer or a touring pro, the goal is the same: does it make you feel something?
If a university professor can put down the fusion charts to rock out to "The Power of Love," you can give yourself permission to play whatever makes you smile, too.
Would you like me to curate a list of the specific jazz standards Mike mentioned that bridged the gap between his rock roots and his academic studies?
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