FABIO G. GIOTTA
Accordionist, Vocalist, Bandleader, Musical Director, Master of Ceremonies, Producer, Engineer, Author and Horseman (partial biography)
Sections:
MUSIC, BEHIND THE SCENES, WRITING, HORSES, AND COFFEE BUSINESS
Multiple picture galleries below.
At Right: Singing one of the more subtle passages of a song, 2000's
MUSIC:
Starting at a very young age, my original music and vocal coaches were, appropriately, my father Papa Gianni (1920-2016), my brother Gianfranco Giotta (1944-1999) and my mother Ida Giotta, followed by voice coach Norma Ditano. My earliest performance experience (backed-up by an accordion, of course), was at age 4 ½, during my unforgettable vocal stage debut in a 1967 concert with Domenico “Volare” Modugno. I was backed-up by San Francisco Bay Area accordionist Val Valente, who also accompanied me in my first recording session (2 vocals) along with well-known mandolinist Rudy Cipolla at major West Coast studio “Golden State Recorders” in San Francisco in 1968 at age 5 ½. Some months later, I made my television debut in a “live” appearance on well-known folk-singer Stan Wilson’s TV variety show. It was these early performances with Valente that introduced me not only to the accordion, but also to the fabulous Cordovox electronic accordion which would become so important later in my life.
My first public playing experience on accordion at age 9, after only 3 months of lessons, was an impromptu New Year’s Eve performance of an Italian waltz titled "Piemontesina Bella" on my accordion teacher’s Cordovox CG-5M “Super V” electronic accordion in 1971 at San Francisco's historic La Pantera. This 3 minute performance changed my life, cementing my destiny as an accompanist, soloist, band leader, collector, restorer and perpetual student of the amazing accordion that I enjoy so much. Only a few years later, the same New Year's event would provide repeat opportunities to perform with the virtuosic and Nationally known young banjo player Scotty Plummer.
For the vast majority of my instrumental music study 1971-1976, I credit two Italian immigrants, Michele Corino (accordionist and teacher, formerly with “Orchestra Angelini” and Cetra Records) and Nick Sfarzo (guitarist, mandolinist, father & “early” music coach of accordionists Angelo Sfarzo (an Excelsior Accordion Artist) and my colleague and friend Ron Sfarzo). Affectionately called “Nikki”, the elder Sfarzo coached me in the areas of rhythm, tempo, chord progression and ear training during live performances. Since then, I have been self-taught and continue to study both accordion and voice, believing in the ongoing space and continual need for improvement and enhancement. I am also a proud member of the historic San Francisco Accordion Club.
My instrumental repertory has covered Opera to Jazz (Dixieland, Swing, etc.) Country & Western to Show Tunes, Italian and other European Folk and semi-classical material, American Standards and even Oldies Rock and Roll (specifically on the Cordovox).
Owing to long-term private study with prominent voice teachers Janet Parlova and Maria Greco, with a bit of help from voice teacher Salvatore D’Aura and a major study intervention from operatic tenor Ermanno Mauro, I am an operatically trained vocalist, but now specialize in Great American Songbook, Show Tunes and Italian ballads.
As a vocalist and accordionist, I’ve been graced with many opportunities to perform on film, television, LIVE National radio broadcasts, internet and stage with and for singers such as Claudio Villa, Luciano Tajoli, Luciano Virgili, Luciano Pavarotti, Frankie Laine, Franc D'Ambrosio, and The Drifters; backed-up by my own bands and by bands and orchestras such as those of Sal Carson, Ernie Heckshire, Dick Bright, Pete D'Amante and the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. I have performed in and for: the Leonardo Da Vinci Society, the Italian Film Festival, the Mill Valley Film Festival, the San Francisco Opera Fol De Rol, the Cotati Accordion Festival, the Knights of Saint Francis Gala(s), the Knights of Saint Francis LIVE Nativity(s), and many others. I've had the pleasure of performing in the top hotel, auditorium, theater, club and show venues in Northern California such as Candlestick Park, Davies Symphony Hall, Herbst Theater, Club Fugazi, the Fairmont Hotel-Venetian Room, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Luther Burbank Center and the Palace of Fine Arts Theater to name but a few.
I've had the privilege of working with my good friend; a veteran disc jockey and radio/television personality who is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, radio and TV show host Joey Reynolds. Papa Gianni and I did a one-hour guest spot which included several vocals and interviews on THE JOEY REYNOLDS SHOW, live at WOR Studios in NYC in 2006. Joey also flew out to San Francisco to be the Master of Ceremonies for the CAFFE TRIESTE 50TH ANNIVERSARY celebration and we have collaborated on other projects over the years, including my and Angela Alioto's one hour guest spot on JOEY REYNOLDS HANGOUTS in 2020.
I am the youngest member of the Giotta Family of San Francisco. In 1956, my father, “Papa Gianni” Giotta pioneered Espresso coffee on America’s West Coast by opening the World-renowned CAFFE TRIESTE in San Francisco’s North Beach district.
In the early 1970’s my father Papa Gianni, together with my older brother Gianfranco, established what would be the longest running musical show in San Francisco, the Caffe Trieste Saturday Concert (1971-2004). It was later revamped and renamed THE NEW CAFFE TRIESTE SATURDAY CONCERT (2004-2016). The Internationally chronicled Concert ran weekly for decades, resulting in thousands or performances across its 45-year run.
In addition to my father and brother, the cast also included my mother Ida Giotta and sister Sonia, along with a roster of regular guest singers and instrumentalists such as: VOICE - Lory Stark, Steve Randolph, Alfredo Tollis, Irving Mok, and Madeline Garcia, INSTRUMENTALISTS - Ron Borelli (accordion, piano), Dave Baioni (accordion, piano), Owen Davis (conga drums, percussion) Dr. David Wise (bouzouki, piano), Matteo Casserino (mandolin), Hershel Yatovitz (guitarist-Chris Isaak and Silvertone), Tom Marion (guitar, mandolin, anything with a string-Cheap Suit Serenaders), John Myers (trumpet), Rick Elmore (big brass-Professor Gizmo), Lara Downes (piano), Donald Wescoat (piano), Dave Jess (bass guitar, drums) and many more. Under my exclusive direction since 2001, the show (an Italian-flavored version of the Lawrence Welk Show) covered a wide range of repertory. Of course, the band was replete with two accordions!
Papa Gianni and I also operated a large recording studio-Trieste Recording Studios. Under the TRIESTE RECORDS label, several record albums and videos were produced between 1982 and 2001. Since 1953, the Giotta Family and has made thousands of appearances in all types of media, on film, television, radio and concert stages.
BEHIND THE SCENES:
My behind-the-scenes musical experience includes that of record producer, engineer and writer. I performed, lead the band, wrote content for, produced and co-engineered the 1982 LP “Saturday Live at Caffe Trieste” and the CD album “Senza Te” in 1999. The latter was a massive 20-month project: a vocal compilation of my brother Gianfranco’s recordings spanning over 30 years. I also performed in three Trieste Records videos and produced the last of the three: “Nostalgia Dei Sensi-A Documentary”, “IN CONCERT: The Caffe Trieste Performers at Forest Meadows” and “Live From The Caffe Trieste: WEST COAST LIVE”.
As a co-writer and co-designer of the original disc label and album, I collaborated with Angela Alioto on the triple award winning DVD release "The Creation of the Nuova Porziuncola of San Francisco” for the Knights of Saint Francis.
WRITING
As a writer, I wrote almost all the advertising and other content for the Caffe Trieste web sites as well as the company’s printed marketing materials since the late 1980’s.
In the early 2000’s, I also collaborated with Lawrence Ferlinghetti on my father’s autobiography SONG OF THE FISHERMAN, unfinished and never published. The story gathered dust for almost twenty years, but now I am pleased to announce a spectacular follow-up. UNSINKABLE! The Life Voyage of Papa Gianni Giotta, 1920-2016 is MY “new and fresh” presentation of Papa Gianni Giotta’s autobiographical tale, which he started to write in the 1990’s.
“Always with a song in his heart and with great Faith, one of the poorest of Italian boys in 1920’s Italy refuses to accept his lot in life. Papa Gianni’s 96 year life journey will take him from fishing the waters of the Adriatic with his father at age seven to performing for the world’s top celebrities, establishing one of the world’s most famous coffee houses and becoming the patriarch of a musical family and dynasty in America". THIS SECTION CONTINUED ON NEWS Page...SCROLL TO TOP TO CLICK
In 2012, I wrote the first edition of A BRIEF, COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF THE CORDOVOX AND OTHER ELECTRONIC ACCORDIONS, the first known undertaking of its kind worldwide. Since the second edition was published in 2013, this book has been used as an International reference guide for accordionists and collectors, by the International Museum of the Accordion in Castelfidardo (Marche), Italy (the accordion capitol of the World) and for contributions to Oxford Music Online’s web version of the GROVE DICTIONARY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (Oxford Press) 2014, CLASSIC KEYS-KEYBOARD SOUNDS THAT LAUNCHED ROCK MUSIC by Alan Lenhoff and David Robertson, 2019, and Wikipedia’s DIGITAL ACCORDION page, 2019. The expanded Third Version, now over 120 pages in length, will be released on or before November 1, 2020 (AVAILABLE BELOW)
I also wrote an historic article in both English and Italian entitled PILGRIMAGE TO ACCORDIONLAND which covered many topics related to the accordion, its World capital of Castelfidardo, Italy, the Cordovox project and one of the most beloved accordion industry giants, Gervasio Marcosignori, who was extensively interviewed in the lengthy, published article. (AVAILABLE BELOW). See HORSES section below for information about my work with KAMILAH PRODUCTIONS.
HORSES
I became a Horseman in 2016, after my girl, Angela Alioto, suddenly bought her first horse in 44 years, a purebred Arabian, Om El Salmaan.
Our equine adventure came about because of a misspelled email address and the resulting friendship of Cowgirl Hall of Fame rider and World-renowned Arabian breeder Sheila Varian. Several months after acquiring Om El Salmaan, we bought a beautiful Half-Arabian and half Quarter Horse, ZIPS HIGH NOON DCA, a gorgeous, towering Palomino, followed by the most elegant purebred Arabian mare Om El Shahnoor.
We had become horse ranchers in 2017 and in 2021, we actually became breeders, and bred our miracle filly Shah Malika al-Kamilah, born March 16, 2022.
KAMILAH becomes the MIRACLE FILLY
At six weeks old, KAMILAH was the very first horse in history to have had surgery to repair a broken back and spinal cord injury. The surgery was done at U.C. Davis. At six months old, she was running around her paddock, happy as she could be. Kamilah healed so well that she underwent a second surgery to remove the hardware and cement in November 2022 and has gone on to be a thriving, happy and loving filly! She is simply a symbol of strength and courage for all of us.
KAMILAH PRODUCTIONS/Team Kamilah:
As a part of Team Kamilah, along with Angela Alioto and her son Gian-Paolo Veronese, I am involved in the production of several pieces.
KAMILAH THE MIRACLE FILLY has been a busy girl! She has a documentary film narrated and co-executive produced by Joe Mantegna (produced by Christopher A. Salvador/New Group Media), a children's picture book by TV Screenwriter-Producer Michael Poryes (That's So Raven, Hannah Montana, Home Sweet Rome), a sculpture by renowned artist Mario Chiodo (The Miracle), and an "adult" biography book by Kandace Bender, all under development and all of which will debut in 2024. Kamilah has many tens of thousands of loyal followers on social media alone and was the subject of an extensive front page feature article in Italy's number one daily print and digital newspaper IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA ("Kamilah, la Puledra Miracolosa") March 2024, followed by a feature article in ARABIAN HORSE WORLD magazine ("I Believe in Miracles") April 2024. Kamilah was the subject of an interview with Angela Alioto on the CRAVE Radio Show on San Francisco's KSFS radio-March 2024. KAMILAH was also invited to present her story at the Equine Wellness Pavilion ("Horse Friendly Arena") at FIERACAVALLI in Verona, Italy in November, 2024. Kamilah made the front page of the online newspaper THETIMESINTERNATIONAL.COM (Al Kamilah-The Legend That Unites the East and the West), May 2024. Kamilah also has a wonderful website where you can read more about her story, get the latest news, watch a video trailer, see her lineage and much more: KAMILAHTHEMIRACLE.COM
ZIPS, our gentle giant better known as Wyatt, is a Western Pleasure show and trail horse with a winning record and an astounding pedigree that is a dynasty of Internationally known Show and Performance Horse champions from both sides of his family. He traces back to the likes of Arabians MUSCAT, NABORR, NEGATIW, SKOWRONEK, the FERANAKA Mares and SERAFIX, and renowned Quarter Horses: ZIPPO PINE BARS, TOP DECK, and POCO BUENO. He also traces back to Thoroughbreds THREE BARS and MAN O’WAR. His immediate family consists of many winning contenders with multiple titles.
It is important to note that our horses LOVE music, and Wyatt is happy to keep riding as long as Dad (that’s me) is singing Ghost Riders in the Sky, Cool Water, or other Western favorites. Of course, the “Stable Repertory” includes everything from Tosca and O’ Sole Mio to Come Fly With Me and That Lucky Old Sun.
Moreover, our 'Horsepups" have their own personalized songs with adapted lyrics that I sing to them on special occasions, based on revered tunes such as The Theme from BAT MASTERSON, The Theme from THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP, and Ricky Nelson’s HELLO, MARY LOU! They also have Birthday Parties that include the accordion and vocals and, of course, their special songs and cream puffs.
“Salmaan”, “Shahnoor” and “Kamilah” are also part of Horse Show Biz Royalty and are directly related to famous Arabian champions EL SHAKLAN, ESTOPA, OM EL SHAHMAAN, ALI JAMAAL, OM EL AL AZEEM, AL LAHAB, AL LAHEEB, SANADIK EL SHAKLAN, ATTICUS ENB, EL NABILA B, and many more.
We would not have these three wonderful Horsepups were it not for our collaboration with world renowned breeders Janina Merz and Sigi Siller of OM EL ARAB of Santa Ynez, California, and their Farm Manager, Yvonne Van Stiphout. Michael Weinstein of PSYNERGY Enterprise Developments, LLC of Morgan Hill, California, and Raymond Mazzei of Furioso Farms of Temecula, California have been incredible teachers of the Arabian horse and of course, great friends.
Our horses are part of our tight-knit family that includes our pups Fratina and Romeo.
More information and photos about our horses are at the Facebook page of Angela M. Alioto
OM EL SALMAAN'S FABULOUS NIECE, OM EL JAYA IS FOR SALE. SEE OUR AD AT DREAMHORSE.COM OR CONTACT US
COFFEE BUSINESS
Caffe Trieste, Caffe Trieste Annex, Caffe Trieste Inc. and Caffe Trieste Superb Coffees 1971 through February 2022. I started working for the family business and eventually made my way up the ranks to President and C.E.O. thanks to my father PAPA GIANNI and brother GIANFRANCO. I worked every side of the constantly evolving company for over 50 years. While the three of us worked side by side, the company ran many operations: coffee houses, coffee house licensing, retail whole bean stores, imports and distribution of: espresso machines, refrigerated wine barrel dispensers, olive oil, Italian soft drinks and liquor, coffee roasting, direct whole bean distribution to hundreds of Grocery and Foodservice customers as CAFFE TRIESTE SUPERB COFFEES, online sales, CD and Video sales and more. I participated in all the preceding areas and headed up most of them at various times. I was also charged with whole bean product formulation and development, packaging design, and many other aspects of the company's products and services too numerous to mention or even remember at a glance.
Other interests have included 19th and 20th Century Antiques, including vintage radios, vintage automobiles, Hot Rodding, motorcycling, boating, fishing, hunting and shooting sports, and the history of Golden Age of Radio and Television Shows, with special emphasis on Cowboys, Horsemen and Westerns.
SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE....
ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH DOING REALLY WELL!!! (paraphrased from Philip Stanhope's 1774 letter to his son)
PROPER METHOD PLUS RELAXED ENJOYMENT=EXCELLENCE
THREE PHOTO GALLERIES AND ORDERING INFORMATION BELOW
