Heard It On The Gig

By Dominic Karcic

Dom Karcic writes the "Heard it on the Gig" column which will now be appearing monthly on the AAA website. For suggestions, pictures and items of interest for this column, please contact Dominic Karcic at: accordionman@optonline.net

Click here for the archived articles

 

 

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John "Scudlein" Brugnoli
Founder of Val-Taro Musette Orchestra

My infatuation with the accordion and the Val-Taro musette style goes back to my very early childhood. I vividly remember my mother ironing and listening to "Tempo di Ballo," an evening radio program that played Italian music and featured many Val-Taro Musette Orchestra renditions. I was so mesmerized by the lilting sounds and melodies of this musical style that it inspired me to study the accordion which, eventually became my life long passion. Little did I ever think that I would ever write an article about Val-Taro music, do musical workshops on the style or even set foot in Borgo Val di Taro (Parma, Italy) the home and birthplace of John Brugnoli, one of the architects of this musical style.

John "Scudlein" Brugnoli was born in Borgo Val di Taro, November 29, 1898. The family nickname "Scudlein" could be traced back to his grandfather who loved his wine and loved to drink it from a bowl (soup plate) or "scodella" which in dialect was called "Scudlein."

John was one of four children born to Giuseppe and Maria Brugnoli. He had two older sisters, Maria and Maddalina and a younger brother, Luigi. Luigi became an outstanding accordionist, lived eventually in Paris and is said to have been one of the early pioneers in the development of the piano accordion. (Several other noted accordionist from the Borgo Val di Taro area also established very successful careers in Paris.) Luigi was John's first teacher and under his tutelage John established himself as a talented young musician and performed throughout the Borgo Val di Taro area.

John married Josephine Ferrari (born Feb. 22, 1901- died May 24, 1998) in February 1923 in Borgo Val di Taro. Two of their three children, Luigi (Gino) and Tina were born there. These years in Italy and Europe were difficult times for all the populace. The lure of a better life in the United States was something that millions of Europeans yearned for and John was no exception. He left his family in Italy and migrated to the United States in 1928 and found work as a mushroom merchant. Because he was an illegal alien he eventually had to exit the United States via Canada and reenter the United States. (This was the normal procedure in those years for people that were illegal aliens and wanted to legalize their status.) In due time he became a naturalized citizen.

John wasted no time in establishing himself in the New York area as a noted accordionist and composer. His wife, son and daughter joined him in 1935. John's third child Albert (Albie) was born in New York City. During this time John was playing at a cabaret called Francino. It was his successful experience there that inspired him to consider opening a place of his own.

Once the idea of owning his own cabaret was nascent, John realized that he needed a musician as a partner. A partner would be beneficial to him because of his own financial limitations and also because a musician of equal status and ability would be an asset to the enterprise. In Italy, he knew the accordionist and fellow Borgo Val di Taro resident Pete Delgrosso. Pete had emigrated to the USA before Scudlein and was well established as an accordionist in New York City. As the story goes, John looked high and low for Pete. He finally found him playing in a place on the West Side of New York City called Bal Tabarin. They agreed to go into business together. Both John and Pete had to borrow money from friends in order to see their dream become a reality. Once they got the funding the "seed" for the Val-Taro Restaurant and Val-Taro Musette Orchestra was planted. It was musical history in the making.

Val-Taro, named by his daughter Tina, was located at 869 Second Ave. between 46th and 47th Street, opened for business on December 24th, 1936. Tina relates that they were all set to open except for one detail - the liquor license. They couldn't open without it! Patrons formed a line outside the door patiently waiting in the cold for the paperwork to arrive. Finally, Val-Taro Restaurant opened its doors for the first time. The new establishment was jammed on opening night and was an instant success.

Once opened, Val-Taro enabled John Brugnoli, Pete Delgrosso and their guitarist Joe "Canon" Cerrina to polish and implement their unique musical skills which would later come to be imitated by many. Joe Cerrina and Val-Taro waiter John Pisani (also known as Bergamo) did some of the vocals on the early recordings.

Brugnoli and Delgrosso experimented, composed and created a dynamic musical style using new ideas and familiar traditional Northern Italian folk melodies. Their arrangement of "Tutti Mi Chiamano Bionda" (True Love Waltz) became their theme song. (It is believed that this song was actually their arrangement of an old melody titled "La Mula De Parenzo." The melody was altered a little and the now famous lyrics were added.) To this day no Northern Italian social event can be considered complete without "Tutti Mi Chiamano Bionda" being played.

They recorded for Italdisc, Nightingale, RCA Victor, Columbia, Colonial and Fiesta records. Their compositions and arrangements were published by Colonial Publishing (1952) and also a series of song books (Let's Waltz and Polka with Val-Taro Musette Orchestra) were published by Cerabino Music Inc. (1953). Some of these can be purchased today at http://www.bussomusic.com/catalog/contact_us.php.

Val-Taro became a Mecca for people who loved good dance music, good times and above all the accordion. Over time the name Val-Taro became synonymous with the accordion. It was the place where many a great accordionist mastered the Val-Taro musette style. Notable accordionists like Mindie Cere, Addie Cere, Pete Spagnoli, Emilio Chiesa, Hugo Nati, Gelso Pellegrini, Aldo Bruschi, Frank Toscano all worked in Val-Taro over the years. Its music attracted patrons from all parts of Italy but also people from the French, German and Croatian communities in the New York metropolitan area.

The "Val-Taro" success inspired other entrepreneurs to establish similar type of cabarets featuring Northern Italian accordion music. Many eventually flourished in the New York midtown area but non achieved the notoriety of Val-Taro.

Selling his share of the business in 1939, John left Val-Taro and entered into another partnership with his long time friend Emilio Spagnoli. The new cabaret was called the Terrace Cafe (Second Avenue and 59th Street). John was there until 1945 or 1946 when he returned to Val-Taro.

Val-Taro closed in 1961 but that did not stop John's creative juices from flowing. In 1962 his Colonial recordings gave him the opportunity to further popularize and expand the Val-Taro sound through a series of tremendously successful albums titled "Sing Along in Italian." The well known accordionist, Walter Ericksson, can be heard with John in these recordings.

Over the years, John wrote dozens of songs many of which were never published or recorded. I was recently given a box of his original manuscripts and found fifty such songs, ranging from waltzes, polkas, tangos and ballads. Many of the songs also contain Italian lyrics that John wrote.

John "Scudlein" Brugnoli's musical legacy is internationally acclaimed and his music and style has inspired many fine accordionists world wide. On October 21, 1973 he and Pete Delgrosso were honored by the American Accordion Association at Glen Island Casino (New Rochelle, NY) for their outstanding career achievements and contributions to the accordion and accordion music.

Throughout most of his career John is said to have used only one accordion, which probably dates back to the early 1930's. It was an Excelsior Concert Master with four and five sets of reeds. It had two palm switches - each switch produced two sounds. John rigged the accordion so that full master switch was on at all times. This accordion was donated to Dr. Carl Restivo Jr., an accordion collector, by John's daughter Mrs. Tina Feci.

As an ardent fan of this music I'm constantly impressed by John's creativity, musical taste and genius. To some extent he has become an icon to represent the genre of Italian musette music.

John "Scudlein" Brugnoli died July 4, 1988.

Today many of the Val-Taro recordions have been remastered and converted to the digital format. For more information please contact:

Dominic Karcic
10 Pimlico Drive
Commack, NY 11725-1115
631.864.4428
e-mail: accordionman@optonline.net

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PETER SPAGNOLI
New York Valtaro Accordionist
By Carol (Spagnoli) Schiavi

Peter Spagnoli was born on November 1, 1921 in Borgo Val di Taro, a little town, nestled in a picturesque valley in the Apennine Mountains of northern Italy. Peter was the second son born to Emilio and Ernesta (Dellapina) Spagnoli. (The Dellapina family was better known by their nickname, "il Gein"). Two years later, in 1923, Emilio, Ernesta and their two sons, Aldo and Peter, crossed the Atlantic and landed in the "promised land", the USA. After passing through Ellis Island, the Spagnoli family made their new home in New York City, a far cry from the quiet countryside of the Borgo. They found an apartment on 60th Street, overlooking the 59th Street Bridge on the east side of Manhattan. It was there that Peter would later enter his destiny as a professional musician and devotee of Valtaro music.

When Peter was 10-years-old, a friend of the family came to live with them. His name was John Brugnoli, affectionately known as "Scud'lein". Scud'lein, an accordionist and composer from Borgo Val di Taro, offered to teach Peter the accordion in exchange for room and board. Peter took to it like a duck takes to water, so his parents bought him his first accordion -- a secondhand one that cost about $25. Scud'lein taught him to read music and to play by ear. Most of the music Peter learned were folk songs from the Valtaro region, but many of these tunes were not written down. He learned by hearing them sung, listening with a keen ear, and then by playing them with his teacher. Early on in his music career, another friend of the family, Johnny Valentini, took Peter to play the accordion for the military at Governor's Island. This was Peter's first gig. For some reason, Johnny bought him a Spanish costume to wear and even though Peter only knew two songs, it didn't seem to matter.

It wasn't long before Peter had a bigger repertoire and was using his musical skills to earn a little spending money. For $3 Pete would play all night at a local bar, the "Emiliana," and also at some little "holes in the wall", as he puts it. Peter continued his music lessons for four years in the accordion studios of Pietro Diero. There he honed his musical skills, as he received instruction in accordion technique and classical training.

In 1936, Scud'lein and Pete DelGrosso, also known as "Filumena", opened up "The Valtaro", a cabaret on Second Avenue and 46th Street. It soon became popular for the dance music of their home town. Scud'lein and Filumena were the standard duo, but Peter and other accordionists, like Emilio Chiesa, played there as well. The unique sound of the Valtaro music was created by having two accordions playing a duet – one the melody, the other the harmony. The waltzes, mazurkas, and two steps from the Valtaro region were the main stay of their repertoire.

Eventually, Peter would play at "The Terrace", a cabaret that his father, Emilio, and Scud'lein bought in 1939. It was located uptown on Second Avenue and 59th Street. The Terrace came with two "in-house" and excellent musicians, a pianist, Norma McFeeters, a black woman from the West Indies, and a drummer, Willy Wohlman who was Jewish. Before long, the two of them were playing Valtaro as if it was part of their own DNA. Together with accordionists Mindy Cere, Scud'lein and Peter, on occasion, they became a tight knit band and The Terrace became a stomping ground for Valtaro aficionados. The place also became a local employment center and marriage bureau. Many "paesans" came together to enjoy the music and dancing and some had the extra bonus of meeting their future spouse.

In 1943, during World War II, Peter joined the Air Force. For the next three years he put away his accordion and became a navigator for the B24 bomber and later the B29. He returned to civilian life in 1946 and went right back to playing at The Terrace on a steady basis. It was during this time that he in fact, met his own girl of his dreams, Dilma Viotti. They tied the knot on Easter Sunday, 1947.

Peter desired to impart his ability and knowledge of the instrument so characteristic of the folk and romantic sound of the music of Europe. He became a teacher at the Elsie Bennett Accordion Studio in Brooklyn. He taught there for several years until he opened up a studio of his own. Through word of mouth and because of his good reputation, Peter amassed quite a number of accordion students.

Peter continued playing at The Terrace, with Norma at the piano, until the 1960's. During this time he expanded his repertoire to a more diverse and international flavor. Other bandleaders would ask him to play gigs like weddings. At these affairs he was able to meet and share the bandstand with other excellent musicians. Peter's reputation preceded him and was well deserved. His musicianship and flare for knowing how to stir a crowd resulted in his becoming a well known and popular bandleader, providing music for weddings, formal affairs, political dinners and even Bar Mitzvahs and Communions.

Some of his clientele included people such as Metropolitan Opera singers, political figures, actors and clergy. His talent indisputable, whether performing solo or with a ten piece band, Peter played music of all kinds -- from big band, Latin, pop, to rock n roll, but his signature style was the beloved Valtaro. That is what he was best known for. That is where he came from. Many of Peter's accordion students caught his love for Valtaro, thus passing it on to the next generation. One such student, Dominic Karcic, a gifted accordionist and bandleader, is dedicated to keeping the music of Valtaro alive and thriving.

During his career, Peter recorded two long playing records with his respected teacher, Scud'lein, featuring folk songs of Valtaro. "Balliamo e Cantiamo Con Valtaro": Cantano I Due Menestrelli (Fiesta Records FLPS 1542) and an instrumental, "Valtaro Musette: Popular Italian Favorites (Fiesta Records FLPS 1515).

Peter has been recognized for his excellence and years of service in the field of music. In 1994 he received the "Man of the Year" Award by the Valtarese Foundation. Peter was also honored by the Committee of Berceto Foundation and Xaverian Missionary Fathers, Il Comune di Borgo Val di Taro, and The American Accordionists' Association, to mention a few.

After an illustrious career of over 50 years, Peter officially retired in 1995 but did not put away his accordion for good. He currently makes "guest appearances" at places like Magnanini Winery and other venues where the Valtaro music is featured. His latest guest appearance was at his granddaughter's wedding in June 2005. He opened the Valtaro set with what has come to be his grandchildren's favorite, "Tutti Mi Chiamano Bionda".

Today, Peter lives in Whitestone, Queens, with his wife, Dilma of 63 years. They have two married daughters, four grandchildren and a recent great grand child. His musical legacy did not stop with him, but was passed on to one of his daughters and two grandchildren who have followed in his talented footsteps.