Événement

Musette Explosion with Courtney Von Drehle & Gideon Freudmann

"... 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

All Ages Show - Bar with I.D. Door 7:00pm

Musette Explosion is a trio featuring Matt Munisteri (guitar/banjo), Marcus Rojas (tuba), and Will Holshouser (accordion) -- that explore and expand on French musette, giving the style their own spin through improvisation and original compositions. It's part jazz, part urban folk music, part chamber music.

"The simplest way to answer 'What is musette?' is to point to Parisian dancehall accordion music," Holshouser said. Musette is the quintessential French sound think the schmaltzy accordion tunes used in film and TV to cue something French on-screen. Even so, there's technically very little that's French about the genre's origins. Musette came of age in the early 20th century out of a confluence of Italian, Polish, German, Roma and American jazz influences. A century ago, this mishmash could be heard piping out of dance halls and bars in Paris.

Holshouser said Musette Explosion is a continuation of that eclectic tradition as the trio adds its own New York flavor that emphasizes rhythm and improvisation. Still, he said, they preserve the beauty and fun of the genre. "It's really pleasure-oriented music music that was originally made for dancing and having a good time in places of amusement," he said. At face value, the group's name does little to explain what it actually does. Explosions are familiar enough, but that's not the case for the funny-sounding word that precedes it.

While the group is not a string quartet, Musette Explosion has a lot in common with more traditional chamber groups. There's the same intimate feel of give and take between performers, only with an accordion and a vintage Gibson guitar thrown into the mix. And that unique mix and style is part of why Holshouser said work feels so effortless. "It's just like falling off a log," he said. "Every time out is something new."

As sidemen and three of New York's most in-demand virtuoso musicians, the trio have work with artists including Regina Carter, Paul Simon, Catherine Russell, Dave Douglas, and many others. Their new album was featured in an interview on NPR's Fresh Air in last November and they may be the only accordion / guitar / tuba trio ever to spend a week on Billboard's "Jazz Album" charts.

Originally a pianist, Holshouser picked up accordion in college. He stumbled upon musette after a French label re-released several musette albums in the 1990s. From there, he started transcribing the accordion parts from the albums, and now he and his colleagues write their own musette tunes.

"Musette has a dynamic vehicle in this ensemble." Nate Chinen, New York Times

"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 21st Century."
Aaron Cohen, Downbeat

Courtney Von Drehle and Gideon Freudmann

Gideon Freudmann (cello) and Courtney Von Drehle (accordion) are both performers and composers who draw from a wide range of influences, they tour extensively and create music for theatre, film and dance. Haunting Eastern European melodies are unmistakably present, but southwestern European and East-norEastern central plains music creeps in at times and sits quietly in the corner, listening, nodding, but never nodding off.

Gideon is best know for his solo electric cello explorations as well as his work with the Portland Cello Cello Project. He even did a TEDtalk so, um yeah, right? Courtney is a founding member of 3 Leg Torso and Klezmocracy in which he also plays sax proving decisively that he can reed between the lines. They have individually performed in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and Taiwan. Someday they hope to play in Arkansas.

Courtney and Gideon have worked together in the past but this is their first duo show. Each is doing daily shiatsu, tai chi, yoga, reiki, hypnosis and electromagnetic therapy in anticipation of this momentous occasion.