Elderly Instruments Lesson Instructor

Carl Visconti

Carl Visconti has an accordion, and he's not afraid to use it. Actually, maybe 10 accordions (and 2 concertinas), more or less. But who's counting. He really likes accordions - more (probably) than most anyone else at Elderly Instruments. And he doesn't let all of the accordion jokes get to him (these are mostly re-focused banjo jokes anyway). It turns out that over 2 million Americans play the accordion - hopefully not all at the same time. And really, what kind of #%&#!!! can't tell the difference between an accordion and a trampoline - or an accordion and an onion. But, seriously....

Carl began playing the piano accordion when he was 8 years old, taking lessons for about three years at the Massimino Music Studio in Detroit. That was around 1955, when the accordion was a very popular instrument. Twelve or so years later, wanting to play "folk" music, Carl sold his accordion for $100 to buy a guitar. Some 25 years later, he was noticing how well the accordion could be used in not only folk music, but Celtic, jazz, Cajun, country, and lots of other music. Starting to play the instrument again, he found that it was sort of "like riding a bicycle" - it's something you really never forget. So, for the last 12 years, he's been playing the accordion (and other instruments) with the Ruffwater Stringband, at concerts, festivals, dances, and other venues.