Joseph Morelli

I had the great privilege to know both Joe Morelli and also Leo Aquino thru correspondence in the 1980s! When Art Van Damme treated Vancouverites with a rare performance at the
Georgia Hotel in July/88, I'd traveled over via ferry foot-passenger to attend. After the luminous AVD brought the house down...Joe and Leo 'chauffeured' me to a small, but classy, restaurant to join an appreciative accordion friends group present --paying tribute to Art, in person! An example of generosity and...

Joe was not only a virtuoso of the accordion, but a true gentleman and a generous scholar. We have lost a wonderful human being, whose gifts of the heart have made us all richer. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

I never had a chance to meet Joe Morelli but have only known part of him as expressed in his compositions.
I am grateful for what he has left behind for us.


Accordion Club of Vancouver

Thank you Joe for all the wonderful accordion arrangements you brought to the annual Rose City Accordion Camp at Silver falls Oregon. Your music was a great inspiration to accordion lovers who attended the camp from all over Canada and the United States. May your great accordion arrangements be enjoyed by accordionists for generations to come. My warmest thoughts and prayers go out to Tussy and Joe's family in these difficult times.

Joe is the "Joe" in my children's novel, "Magnifico". I have never heard anyone play like him. Astonishing! He was so kind and generous with his talent and stories -- and nobody told better accordion jokes than Joe! He raised the roof with "Ciribiribin" the night of the book launch and I am so indebted to him. See how he led us all in a laugh that night?

http://magnifico-victoria-miles.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html

Joe was my accordion teacher in the 60's. I remember schlepping my instrument every Tuesday on the bus to his studio just off Oak Street.

Boy, his fingers would fly over that keyboard!