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We are fortunate that Joe Natoli has contributed outstanding compositions to the accordion repertoire. In addition to having had a busy professional career in IT, Joe has always made time to compose, play the accordion, and actively participate in promoting the accordion. I am confident that you all will enjoy his four latest creative selections. Below, Joe contributes his thoughts about the music.
Joseph Natoli (recent ATG president and co-director of International Digital Electronic Accordion Society or IDEAS) is realizing a lifelong dream, having recently retired from his Information Technology (IT) career, in order to dedicate himself to music (both performance and composition). Joe always maintained a fairly active schedule for both disciplines even during and in spite of his years as an IT manager. However, since retiring in January from that very demanding and stressful profession, Joe has stepped up his game in the music arena and is enjoying composing more than ever before. He has written four (4) compositions in the last several weeks that will each ultimately be included on his upcoming “Chameleon Vol 3” CD. As Joe indicates on his “Chameleon Vol 1” and “Vol 2” CDs (each which include 2018 and 2019 AAA commissions), here is the impetus for the title and the substance of this expanded project, which of course also applies to the upcoming Chameleon Vol 3 release:
“When it comes to composition, I consider myself a musical chameleon, adapting to any style according to the need and purpose of the composition, just as a chameleon adapts immediately to its current environment. Therefore, I have written music in every possible genre, from contemporary Avant Garde, to quasi-minimalist, jazz, Classical, Baroque, ethnic polkas & waltzes, cinematic, neo-Romantic, ragtime, Latin, and even Pop. This collection hopes to demonstrate and celebrate that diversity of creativity.”
So that being said, here are YouTube links to Joe’s recent compositions in the order in which they were composed (all performed on the Bugari Evo digital accordion):
Video 1: “Bach to Polka” In spite of rather prolific output, Joe had never composed a polka. But recently he became interested in writing one in a minor key due to the enhanced creativity enabled by a minor key approach. The third section of the polka especially demonstrates this with some progressive jazz harmonies not typically found in a polka. This piece also starts and ends with a quote from the Bach D minor harpsichord concerto. The polka was already composed but Joe then listened to this Concerto again via YouTube and felt quoting it in the beginning and end added a great touch. Hence the title “Bach to Polka.”
Video 2: “Fantasy On a Well-Known Melody” is a composition that has been on Joe’s bucket list for quite some time. Composing an epic piece based on such a simple, universal and well-known melody like “Chopsticks” presented really interesting challenges on how to hold a listener’s attention to keep it exciting from beginning to end. In that regard, Joe indicates that he takes this melody through Classical, orchestral, jazz ballad, tango, jazz, and big band, while trying to never lose sight of that simple melody.
See news article above: “Remembering Ennio” was written for the recent loss of iconic film composer Ennio Morricone. Joe has always admired and frequently learned from Maestro Morricone’s many talents in melody creation and development, thematic reference, and orchestration. Therefore, devastated by the very recent loss of this great musician, Joe wanted to pay tribute to Maestro Morricone with his own composition.
Video 3: “Homage & Offspring to the Bee” (subtitle: “Son of a Bee”)
Like many musicians Joe is not without his whimsical side. So he wrote this very difficult and challenging perpetual motion type piece meant to commemorate the parent piece by Rimsky-Korsakov entitled “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Think of this composition however as a modernized sequel or child to the original piece, but it never directly quotes material from the original. Rather it just develops vague but somewhat recognizable references to the original that takes it down many paths not expected, again opening with and inserting jazz harmonies along the way. It’s like an ambitious son showing off to the father about what he might do with a similar musical motivation but in a more hip and contemporary context (hence the subtitle “Son Of a Bee”). This piece is dedicated to Joe’s lifelong friend David Janesh, and outstanding accordionist himself.
Joe’s music and CDs (including Chameleon Vol 1, Vol 2, and soon to be released Vol 3 can be purchased by writing to janpressmusic@yahoo.com.
