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Accordions |
Reyes Accordions
Generally, Reyes Accordions is one of the most acclaimed accordion companies in the world. This company primary caters to the Latino market, bridging both their Tex-Mex Conjunto and Norteño. Today, Reyes Accordions has a strong emphasis on the three-row button accordion, and with that they will soon be expanding their coverage to include piano accordion.
According to its history, the Reyes Accordions started as a family tradition. The current owner of this company, Gilbert Reyes, had stated on one of the interviews that his grandfather picked up his first accordion when he was fifteen years old. It was his great grandfather who bartered livestock in exchange for a one row diatonic accordion from a German merchant in Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico in 1927.
In 1942, when Gilbert Reyes’ grandfather and father crossed the Rio Grande River and settled in Texas, the polka style of music had created an impact on the people, particularly to his grandfather. The following year, he brought the two-row diatonic accordion and started experimenting with the polkas. And, later on, having been exposed to many great accordion players, his grandfather had found a form to express himself – music.
However, Gilbert’s father was not well-known for his music or even cared to be. Conjunto that time was in fact a poor working mans music that really did not hold any value in the mainstream. Conjunto, the music of Gilbert’s father, is not a widely popular genre even though some who romanticize this style of music think it is.
It is interesting to know that it was the grandfather of Gilbert Reyes who left great impression on Gilbert. It was him who gave Gilbert the umbilical cord that connects him with the culture, heritage and people. And, it was his music that brought the Reyes Accordions to life.
Today, Reyes Accordions’ vision is not only to sell the high quality accordions. The company also strives to provide the customer the necessary information concerning the Tex-Mex and Norteño genre in particular. As a musician with his Reyes Accordions, Gilbert understands the needs of both the English and non-English speaking customers. The company is now composed of professional accordions staff, including Mark D., Sara Fernandez, Tina Valenzuela, and Gilbert Reyes.
It is further nice to know that Reyes Accordions with its highly dedicated accordions staff, knows and understands both the styles of music. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Gilbert Reyes, along with his cohorts, has been playing the three-row button accordion since the age of fourteen. As Gilbert once stated, “success comes from knowing your product and customer”.
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Accordion Music Memories
It's every kid's dream to play the accordion in a local talent show, right? OK, well, maybe not so much a dream as something that seems like fun at the time, but a memory that will make you cringe in horror years later when you look back at the pictures.
This story is a memory and tip / warning for accordion players everywhere. Actually, it is a valuable tip for anyone playing a musical instrument on stage where a spotlight will be in use during the show.
We started having meetings and rehearsals for the local talent show about a month and a half before the scheduled date of the show. The organization putting on the talent show had to rent the spotlight so they planned to only get it in time for the dress rehearsal, which was the day before the actual show. Therefore, during all the other rehearsals, we only had the regular fluorscent lighting in the room and the general stage lighting.
On the night of the final dress rehearsal, the person in charge of operating the spotlight could not get it to work so we went through the rehearsal without it. I had been practicing my accordion faithfully and played a medley of several songs flawlessly during the rehearsal.
The next day, on the night of the actual talent show, the spotlight was working properly. When it was my turn to perform, the audience applauded as I walked out on to the stage with my accordion strapped to my chest carrying my accordion sheet music. I sat down and placed the sheet music on the stand. The general house lights dimmed and the spotlight came on.
That's when I realized it was time to panic. Stage fright, you think? Not at all, I loved being on the stage with an audience of hundreds. The reason for panic was because the spotlight was so strong that it shone right through the sheet music! I couldn't see any of the notes on the pages.
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