Ed Cifani is one of the most well represented composers and arrangers in the JANPress catalog. His arranging style is especially unique and attractive. His arrangements always achieve maximum results with the most efficient means. Therefore, JANPress thought it would be a great idea to gather a few of Mr. Cifani's ideas on music, his influences, arranging, and music in general. Hope you enjoy the discussion we had with him:

JN: Ed, when did you first get involved with the accordion?
EC: I started in 1937 at the age of 14 with Mr. Don Spirito. After studying with him, I studied harmony and theory with Professor Clarence Viozak. Then I also studied sight-reading and musical expression with Alberto Ravagniani, member of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra.

JN:  Explain some of your early years with the instrument and maybe how you met your wife Gilda.
EC:  In 1940, I was asked to play a solo at the annual Cleveland Press Christmas Show.  It was quite an honor because it was a big thing in town at the public auditorium.  It was attended by 15,000 people with Errol Flynn as master of ceremonies.  This is where I was to meet my future wife, Gilda DeStefanis, who also was selected to play an accordion solo on the program.  I played the “William Tell Overture” and Gilda played Frosini’s “Carnival of Venice.”

JN:  How did your playing career progress from there?
EC:  In 1943, I left for the U.S. Army.  World War II was going strong.  I joined the Army Military Band.  I did have some training on the clarinet earlier.  When we did war band tours, I played with the band and played solos on the accordion.

While in Europe, I performed with a 14-piece swing orchestra, playing for Army dances.  I played the guitar and piano parts on the accordion.

JN:  At what point did you become a teacher? 
EC:  As soon as I returned home, I opened my own music studio.  In the meantime Gilda was teaching accordion at the Wurlitzer Co. in downtown Cleveland.  Our music school did well for quite a few years.

JN:  Your arranging style in my opinion is one of the finest our instrument has ever seen.  All of your arrangements are creative, innovative, colorful, catchy, accessible, and wonderful additions to the world of accordion literature.  In fact, your arrangements easily match or supersede those of Magnante, Deiro, and Galla-Rini classics.  How did you get started with arranging?
EC:  I always arranged everything we used for our accordion school.  At one time we had four accordion bands. I arranged all the band’s numbers, and some special solos for students.  Gilda and I had some nice duets worked out.

JN:  How did you hit upon the "formula" that makes your arrangements so attractive?
EC:  My formula was to take a composition and make it exciting and colorful without it being too difficult, and finish with a big finale.

JN:  What is your opinion of where the accordion is today versus where it was in its heyday (i.e. 30s to 50s)?
EC:  There is no doubt that the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s were big accordion years. It is possible that it could come back again.

JN:  Do you have any advice or thoughts for today's would-be accordionists and arrangers?
EC:  It is very hard to forecast what will happen next on the musical scene. It all depends on what the next generation is exposed to on records and television.  There are still a lot of people that think an accordion is for polkas.  Sometimes I play a classical number on the accordion for people, and they come up to me and say, “I never thought that the accordion could reproduce a classical composition that well.”

JN:  Who was the biggest influence in your musical career from either a performance or arranging perspective?
EC:  Charles Magnante was my idol! He had excellent tastes and musicianship. I think he did more to elevate the accordion than anyone else.

JN:  Any closing thoughts Ed on your career or musical life in general?
EC:  Gilda and I feel that our life has been great to us. We have had a lot of good times and satisfaction in being involved with music. Music has been our life!