Dingo,
His name was Luigi Stocchi, and Gigi Stok was his stage name. The bass system is the 7 row version of what is known as bassi modenese, from the city of Modena in Emilia Romagna. Gigi was from nearby Parma, and is the only Italian TV personality Ive seen playing that particular bass system. He used the old style of CBA fingering that excludes the thumb from the treble fingerboard, but probably didnt care too much, as he was a big earner in his day.
Only modern big name player to use the 6 row version is Daniele Donadelli. He is from the same general area as Gigi Stok, and plays a fusion of Italian-French musette.
Whilst PA is the most usual type of accordion found in Italy, CBA is probably the most common type in the Emilia Romagna region, and they are mostly C system with normal 6 row Stradella basses. I have seen accordions with modenese basses (both PA and CBA) for sale on Italian websites, but would reckon theyll now only be built as one-off special orders.
I wasted a good few years trying to work out why the bassi modenese was peculiar to that area, and why it seemed to merely be a copy of the Belgian system. I believe it isnt quite, as Ive read that modenese basses have the row of thirds in the third rather than the first row. I also couldnt work out why they played French accordions with the treble couplers on the rear in that part of Italy. Some time later I read about Italians from Emilia Romagna moving to Belgium in considerable numbers to work in the coal mines, and they took their accordions with them. Whilst Ill probably never know if Im correct, my assumption now is that the Belgian bass system is a copy of the bassi modenese, and the French copied Italian built CBAs with couplers on the rear, as they prefer in parts of Emilia Romagna.
After I had solved the issue to my own satisfaction I had to deal with the fact as to why the Italians playing Italian built Stoccos, Ropas, Crosios etc. refer to those with couplers on the rear as sistema francese. The truth dawned with that one when I realised there are now more accordions of that specification in France than in Italy. It is the preferred version in France, but the particular arrangement with couplers on the rear was devised in Italy. Some makers who had no connection with Castelfidardo made them that way, and that was it. A least I hope it is, as I cannot be bothered trying to work it all out again.
Here is Mr Donadelli doing what he does best. Italian box, French music, Belgian bass stolen from Modena, and any other complicated permutations you can think of. If you listen carefully you might just hear his Italian accent in the music, but dont tell him in case he stops playing French waltzes.
