Willow Glen Resident

News

'O Solo Mio' is music to Julio Tosto's ears

By Michelle Sklar

Balmy summer nights bring out the best in a neighborhood, especially when music, hand-crafted wine, vine-ripened tomatoes and good friends are combined at Julio Tosto's Willow Glen home.

He helps bring those early summer evenings alive by playing his accordion in the back yard.

"In the summer I like to play my accordion outside. People hear me, so they come through the back gate and we share some fun together--maybe even some of my red wine," says Tosto, who has lived in Willow Glen for 20 years.

Tosto, 75, began his musical journey as a young boy in Calabria, Italy. When he was around 7 years old, he remembers his father teaching him the mandolin. Soon, Tosto picked up the guitar. By the time he was 12 he had his own band, where he played guitar, one friend playing drums and another the clarinet.

"People in our town knew about our music and liked hearing us play so they would invite us to special events, and we would entertain them," Tosto says.

During those years, Tosto's older brother bought an accordion, which was a popular instrument in Italy. Tosto would watch his brother and pay attention to how he was playing. When his brother wasn't using the accordion, Tosto would pick it up and over time, he taught himself how to play. The upbeat and carefree music of a well-played accordion matched Tosto's personality, and he has been playing the vertical keyboard ever since.

Following World War II, Tosto, along with many others in Italy, had difficulty finding work, so when a relative in Canada encouraged him to immigrate he moved in 1952 to the city of Alberta. His accordion accompanied him aboard ship on his trip across the Atlantic.

"Many people got really seasick coming across on the boat to Halifax. I did, too. So I played my accordion to take my mind off of it and to keep everyone else entertained. I made a lot of friends on that boat trip," he recalls.

He began a new life once he set foot on Canadian soil. He married, had four young children and was running a restaurant with his brother. He played the accordion when he could and continued to share his love of music with family and friends. In 1963, he had the good fortune to meet Luciano Tajoli, a famous Italian singer visiting Canada.

"The people who were hosting Mr. Tajoli asked me to show him around, and one evening we brought him to our restaurant to eat. I accompanied him on the guitar and he sang," Tosto says. "His voice was so strong and so beautiful he actually shattered some of the glasses in our place."

Eventually Tosto bought a steakhouse with a lounge. He hired entertainers to perform for his dinner guests, but when he didn't have anyone scheduled he would go up on stage himself and perform.

In time, Tosto and his first wife divorced.

While visiting his sister in San Jose one year, Tosto met a "beautiful" Italian widow named Gina. He was smitten. He returned briefly to Canada, but soon moved to Willow Glen permanently. He and Gina married at St. Christopher's Church in 1988.

Though Tosto started out playing the mandolin and guitar, these days he devotes his time to the accordion.

"The accordion is not hard to play," he says, "and the mandolin and guitar hurt my fingers so I don't play them anymore."

Another plus is the accordion is a one-man instrument.

"With my accordion I can play the keyboard and bass and sing. It's like a whole band together," says Tosto.

Tosto does not charge when he plays; he does it for the pure enjoyment and pleasure.

"I have played for retirement communities, and at the annual gathering of the Sons of Calabria social club," he says. "I also play for families when there is a wedding or any other happy occasion."

Tosto has even made a few appearances at local businesses, including Bob Paez's Garden Theater Barber Shop.

"Julio is a cheerful guy," says Paez. "My customers love him. Whenever he comes down to play and sing he always draws a big crowd into the shop."

Tosto still gets ideas for songs, and continues to educate himself. He listens to great accordion players such as Dick Cantino. Tosto usually plays classic Italian songs including "O Solo Mio" and other well-know tunes, including the theme song from the Godfather trilogy.

"I just always like to keep it fun," he says.

Tosto keeps two accordions at his home in Willow Glen, but says he left his best one in Canada for one of his grandchildren, who he hopes will continue his love for the instrument.

"None of my children play the accordion," he says "but I left a really nice one with them to remember me by. And as a gift to my first grandson, the accordion is still waiting for him to be born."