Accordionist Will Holshouser will perform with his group, Musette Explosion at the Cornelia St. Cafe in New York City on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.
Joining Will in the group are Matt Munisteri on guitar and banjo
and Marcus Rojas on tuba.
From Will’s Press Release:
“… swings with speed and clarity, sways with mystery and eroticism….Not simply an archeological paean to past masters, this debut recording from Musette Explosion makes the genre relevant to NYC’s musical landscape.”– Elliott Simon, New York City Jazz Record
Three of New York’s most in-demand virtuoso musicians, each with a distinctive voice on his instrument, explore and expand on Parisian musette. They bring this multicultural dancehall music to new places through the highest improvisational communication, emotionally honest performances, and original compositions.
Marcus, Matt and Will keep busy backing up some of the world’s foremost artists (Regina Carter, Paul Simon, Henry Threadgill, Catherine Russell, David Krakauer, Mark O’Connor and others). Over the last fifteen years, they’ve indulged in a labor of love: exploring the beautiful and challenging French musette repertoire.
Their new (and first) album Introducing Musette Explosion may be the only accordion/guitar/tuba record to spend a week at #6 on Billboard’s “Jazz Album” charts, and was featured in an interview on NPR’s Fresh Air in November 2014. Upcoming appearances later in 2015 include the Monterey Jazz Festival, Chautauqua Institute’s chamber music series, and Djangofest Northwest.
Musette is a unique urban art form, its beauty and passion born of the cultural diversity and chaos of city life. Paris in the early 20th century was a cosmopolitan melting pot, like New Orleans or New York. A true “musette explosion,” musical and cultural, was taking place.
According to musette historian Didier Roussin, Paris was “in the throes of explosive growth as poor migrants flocked in. Where people of all classes rubbed shoulders, places of amusement multiplied … Cafés, clubs, brothels, and dance halls were the crucibles in which were forged new musical forms.”
The original bagpipes (“musettes”) of the French Auvergnats were replaced by the Italians’ accordions, but gave their name to the new style of music; Roma guitarists and violinists brought in Eastern European and Spanish influences; American GIs introduced jazz, the banjo, and drums. German and Polish waltzes, polkas, and mazurkas were also in the air. This trio, with its unique instrumentation, continues the “explosion” through its new interpretations, sonic surprises, and original compositions.
“These three virtuosi found a wormhole from the simple harmonies and structure of the musette to a modern sensibility that coexists quite comfortably with the earlier material … They have served the music by following where it led: to the heart of their imaginations. Their energy, humor, virtuosity, and deep feeling make Introducing Musette Explosion a welcome, unique, and most satisfying experience.” – Mel Minter , Musically Speaking blog
“This group does not restructure the repertoire’s foundation; they handle it all in their own way. [Musette Explosion] has respectfully reclaimed 1930s Paris for the 21 st Century.” – Aaron Cohen, Downbeat
Tuesday, May 5th, 2015
Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia St., New York NY 10014
Doors open at 8:30 pm, 2 sets at 9:PM
$10 cover, $10 minimum
reservations: 212-989-9319
info: www.corneliastreetcafe.com
Album available through Amazon, CDBaby, and iTunes.
For more info please see:
www.willholshouser.com
facebook/Musette Explosion
photo by Reuben Radding
