NEWS
Gadji
An artist, a craftsman woman, a project...
GADJI Accordion was born.
Gadji, It is a standard line of accordion but too the birth of an accordion
intended for the jazz. Jazz Accordion is the culmination of the common
desire of two music fanatics.
Marcel Loeffler, famous jazz accordionist had expectations for his favourite musical instrument; he wanted an instrument better adapted to jazz with richer chords proper to jazz (and not arranged as on a standard bass accordion).
Stéphanie Simon, tuner/ repairer since 1994, had the desire of a new project, the collaboration with one of the best accordionists of the moment, to register her own trademark by taking advantage of her know-how acquired thanks to years of experience, for the creation of this new instrument and a whole standard range.
Gadji, why this name?
Gadji comes from Gypsy, which represents Marcel Loeffler, of Gypsy origin.
And Gadji, in French, means a “non-Gypsy girl”, which represents Stéphanie
Simon ! The 2 creators of the project were identified in one word !
The Standard range consists of 7 models, all carefully worked, realized with superior-quality, personalized materials so that your accordion becomes a precious object. Stéphanie Simon did not wish to have a catalog of 15/20 instruments, she preferred to work in the detail and the quality on a range answering a lot of wait(expectation). Of 2 voices 80 basses in 4 voices double tone chamber 120 basses, all the accordion Gadji Standards was realized with a knowledge to answer your request.
The Gadji Jazz is mainly aimed at jazzmen, who wish
to play real jazz left hand chords. Exit the “almost” major or “almost”
minor 7 chords, the accordionist stops playing “2 chords to make a similar
chord”... With Gadji, you can accompany, improvise with real major 7,
minor 7 and ninth chords. You can make successions of chords with a
jazz sound, much more freely, while enriching it with the right hand.
It allows a logical behaviour in the chord progression and to free one’s
mind in order to achieve a much more marked rhythm. (such as the Bossa
Nova guitarists of Brazilian music for example).
The left hand of Gadji inaugurates a new type of complementarity of
the two hands, solo or with a music group, for bossa nova, bebop, swing
and every possible variety of jazz. It offers an additional opening
onto the technique, richness and complexity of the practice of jazz.
Left hand system explained by Marcel :
On a standard accordion, in order to obtain a major 7 and minor 7 chord,
we always have to press simultaneously two chords at the same time,
which is not always comfortable to play a jazz standard.
For example : for a chord of G major 7 on a standard accordion, we have
to press G major and then D major simultaneously, which gives a kind
of G major 7, but in fact this is not really a major 7 because as these
are ready-made chords composed of three keys, pressing both simultaneously
gives six keys.
Here is the description : G major: G, B, D, and as regards the second
chord, D major: F sharp, A, and D, (the A is too much and the D is repeated
twice). While with the Gadji Accordion, pressing simultaneously one
chord and the fundamental note (Bass) gives a true major 7 chord! Which
is much neater in terms of “VoicesSings”.
This is exactly the same for minor 7 chords which are on the second
row of chords (located where minors are on a standard accordion).
9 et 13 chords (without the fifth) are located where Seventh chords are on a standard accordion
As for Stephanie Simon’s finishing touches in order to provide the accordion with a warm powerful sound, and the kind of chord you want (Marcel’s Gadji is tuned for swing music), the Gadji keeps her secret!
For further information : contact@nouvelaccord
or +33.(0)2 48 96 60 22
Why this left hand system, Marcel?
After years playing on standard accordions, my conclusion is: to properly
play jazz as it is, I believe that the left hand of a standard accordion
is much too limited in terms of chords. Therefore, I wanted a different
instrument with much richer chords for the left hand, like on a piano.
With chords appropriate to jazz, this leaves me freedom for a much more
intense rhythmic; I therefore turned to a professional craftswoman to
achieve this dream.
Small personal words :
Stéphanie :
“I would like to thank Marcel to have given me the opportunity to share
this adventure with him and to have provided me with his knowledge which
has contributed to the achievement of this instrument and its evolution.
I would also like to thank in advance all musicians who will like our
instrument and will... play it! ; I hope that you will find this instrument
attractive, for its use, its look and the colour of its sound!”
Marcel :
“Thank you, Stéphanie, to have followed me in this adventure. Today,
I can no longer do without this instrument. During the recording sessions,
I feel that I am accompanied by another accordion, as this left hand
completes the right hand so perfectly. It is an essential working tool
for my career. And I am rather proud of its name.......! I hope that
other accordionists will appreciate it and follow me in my keyboard
logic!”
