The room is impeccably clean and not terribly cluttered. Behind the counter, a door leads to messier confines, with a large workbench and accordion parts everywhere. A long line of accordions needing repairs sits on the floor. Some appear fine on the surface, others look like they fell from the back of a truck in a rain storm and were left to rust.
He pushes through 15 to 20 repairs each day, the result of being a rarity in his field: a young craftsman attuned to the delicate nature of the instrument. An accordion possesses a duality that represents its maker and its player. The inside is a meticulously constructed matrix of little pieces, precise and functional rather than flashy. The exterior screams with color and character. Gabbanelli juggles repairing the old with designing and producing the new. Gabbanelli and his wife, Elia, he's the company's CEO and president, she serves as vice president took over when he died in and have tried to balance the tradition of the trade with new developments that can enhance sound or durability.
Quietly intense, Gabbanelli, 40, uses the word "artisan" several times as an understated shorthand for the knowledge and skill required to work with these instruments. Even her comment is modest. Only a handful of people in the world can precision-tune an accordion by ear. That rarity of expertise can be attributed to changing musical trends. Gabbanelli has siblings, but he's the only one who was sufficiently intrigued by his father's craft to learn it. Gianfranco Gabbanelli came to the United States in from the Marche region of Italy,where he was a tuner in an accordion factory.
Making musical instruments was family work - Mike Gabbanelli's grandfather started at age 10 he also worked with stringed instruments. One of Gianfranco Gabbanelli's brothers specialized in making keys, another did woodwork.
The elder Gabbanelli's decision to leave Italy was regarded by his family with shock, his son says. He came to Houston in to repair and tune Italian-made accordions. After arriving, he began going by the Anglicized version of his name, John. He made and sold Gabbanelli Accordions out of his home for 30 years before moving the operation to the West Bellfort location where it remains.
Houston was a prime place to be an accordion-maker, with accordions prevalent in three different musical genres: central Texas beer-hall music from Europe, Louisiana Cajun music and Mexican music moving up from the border. All three types of music can still be heard in this region. And polka still shows signs of life in the Midwest. Several years ago, I witnessed an accordion night an hour or so north of Chicago, where a local diner turned into a festive open mic-type event.
But they don't make a convincing case that it will be handed down to another generation. Gabbanelli is eager to train young people for his factory where the new instruments are made. But he says he'd never press his children into the trade. And I feel lucky, because it's truly something that has been passed on; this business and his name.
A true connoisseur of the music industry, Elia has also led efforts to change perceptions of Mexican Regional Music, in order to take it to the place this genre deserves. Every day, musicians from all walks of life come to the Gabbanelli store in Houston, where they feel welcomed and inspired by the products displayed and the service they receive.
This feeling of pride and respect for the art owes a lot to her connection with the artists. Being part of Gabbanelli has taught me a lot.
This is a true community of hard work and craftsmanship, all devoted to the love of music. Fun fact: I love sunsets. I really do! To the point where everywhere I go I take pictures.
I have a whole gallery on my phone. And my dream is to travel across Africa, capturing, you know, sunsets. I love my job because there is just no other place where you can work with the family whose name is on the instrument.
So you may see me at the store with a friendly and welcoming face talking about Accordions. You may regret it. I never imagined having the opportunity to work with the Gabbanelli Family. I grew up listening to regional Mexican music with my dad. In fact, his favorite songs were played with a Gabbanelli. That is why I am proud to collaborate and be part of the Gabbanelli team.
Listening to music with melodies played on the accordion in the background while I work, always brightens my day. Fun fact: In my free time, I love to ride my Bianchi bike. It lets me explore the city. I love going fast, feeling the wind in my face, and being able to appreciate familiar places differently than when I drive a car.
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