Chippewa Valley residents en route to Oakwood Mall via the Eau Claire Transit System might encounter an unexpected surprise one evening this winter: freestyle accordion players, right on the bus! The musical duo Squeeze This consists of Eau Claire resident Joel Jensen and Chippewa Falls resident Paul Cook, both of whom have “regular jobs” by day – Jensen works at UW-Eau Claire while Cook spends his days at Eau Claire’s Community Health Partnership. By night, however, these men practice their hobby in the best way possible: in front of a live audience. “We needed a venue and we didn’t have any subways in Eau Claire,” said Cook, who has been playing with Jensen for six years. “For accordion playing, it’s best to have a captive audience – once you get on [the bus], that’s it.” Jensen and Cook, whose music most closely resembles “stream-of-consciousness playing,” say people’s reactions to their music have run the gamut from enthusiastic sing-alongs and requests to annoyance and anger. “All we do is practice… whatever comes next, that’s what we played next,” said Jensen. According to Cook, the two count the Rolling Stones, The Band, Hank Williams, Matt Wahl, and Ray LaMontagne among their musical inspirations, but they make up the majority of their songs themselves. “It’s original,” said Cook, adding that although they don’t typically plan their appearances, residents can expect to see them at least a handful of times before Christmas. “It’s really fun, and it’s good for our souls. Playing music is a great thing, and in the face of a world that’s got a lot of complications, especially right now, and not enough music and fun, we’re trying to do our part.”

  Sixth Annual Squeeze This Holiday Bus Concert • Thursday, Dec. 11 • City of Eau Claire Transit • 6:30pm • $1.25 regular, 60 cents elderly/disabled, 50 cents CVTC pass, FREE UWC faculty/students