TERRY GROSS, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. I am Terry Gross. The music of Will Holshouser defies simple categorization. Streaming providers have variously filed his albums as jazz, folks, even simple listening. There’s greater than a grain of fact to those classifications, however adjectives like elegant, ebullient and saucy match significantly better, and possibly formidable. Holshouser is an accordionist, and his new recording, “The Lone Wild Chook,” is a solo effort, a rarity for a virtuoso on his instrument. Martin Johnson has this evaluation, and after Martin’s evaluation, we’ll hear my interview with Holshouser. He introduced his accordion and performed.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “THE LONE WILD BIRD”)
MARTIN JOHNSON: Accordionist Will Holshouser has performed in all kinds of bands – from violinist Regina Carter’s jazz hybrid group Reverse Thread to singer/songwriters like Suzanne Vega and Rufus Wainwright, to klezmer bands, to his personal trio, Musette Explosion. On his newest recording, “Lone Wild Chook,” he goes it alone, solo. The austere setting permits Holshouser to actually showcase the sound of his instrument and its versatility. Within the hymn-like monitor that we simply heard, it may be solemn and pensive, however it will also be boisterous and joyful.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “OURO PRETO”)
JOHNSON: The setting additionally permits us to listen to the inside workings of his instrument. Beneath the accordion sound are grunts and huffs from the air that will get pumped within it. On the monitor Avery, he shakes the bellows on the instrument to create a rhythmic underpinning for the tune, virtually as if he was accompanied by somebody on the washboard.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “AVIARY”)
JOHNSON: Holshouser grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He’s the son of two ministers, so hymns have been an early a part of his musical weight loss plan. He was finding out jazz piano and turned to accordion when a school pal gave him one as a present. He was fascinated by the mechanics of the instrument and its versatility. It was a cornerstone in folks musics from New Orleans to Madagascar. And Holshouser, who’s 56, was discovering his means by his instrument’s vary at a time when unique music was quickly turning into extra accessible through the recording increase of the ’80s and ’90s and the rise of the web shortly thereafter. It’s this number of music that’s mirrored on “Lone Wild Chook.” Holshouser’s authentic “Three Glasses” is a minor key and intimate tribute to composer Dmitri Shostakovich.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “THREE GLASSES”)
JOHNSON: Holshouser’s jazz roots are a distinguished a part of this system. “Blue Waters” displays his curiosity in counterpoint, and it has a bluesy really feel. It is a tribute to jazz organ nice Jimmy Smith. You may not get the collard greens and cornbread that Smith’s music usually evoked, however you may really feel the soulful grit.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “BLUE WATERS”)
JOHNSON: Holshouser’s jazz curiosity additionally led him to the standard hymn “Abide With Me.” The music dates again to the nineteenth century, however legendary jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk recorded an all-horns association. It made the accordionist ponder, what wouldn’t it have appeared like if Monk performed the piano on the monitor? You possibly can hear a few of this concept right here.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “ABIDE WITH ME”)
JOHNSON: For a lot of music followers, the accordion will recall to mind the music of the Celtic punk rockers The Pogues, and Holshouser touches on the Irish traditions on “Reel To Reel,” a tune written partially by his brother-in-law, who makes violins and performed in a band together with his father, a first-generation Irish immigrant.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “REEL TO REEL”)
JOHNSON: There aren’t many guidelines for what you may and can’t do on a solo accordion recording, however it appears important to deal with the Cajun custom, and Holshouser covers the New Orleans waltz “Chez Seychelles” in tandem with “Balfa Waltz” to shut out the stellar recording.
(SOUNDBITE OF WILL HOLSHOUSER’S “CHEZ SEYCHELLES / BALFA WALTZ”)
GROSS: Martin Johnson writes about jazz for the Wall Road Journal and DownBeat. He reviewed “The Lone Wild Chook” by Will Holshouser. I recorded an interview with Holshouser a couple of years in the past, throughout which he performed his accordion. We’ll hear that after a break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
GROSS: That is FRESH AIR. Now that we have heard Martin Johnson’s enthusiastic evaluation of the brand new solo album “The Lone Wild Chook,” by accordion participant Will Holshouser, let’s hear from Holshouser. I spoke with him in 2014 when his album “Introducing Musette Explosion” was launched. It options French waltzes and dances, in addition to authentic songs within the musette type. He introduced his accordion to the studio and performed.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
GROSS: Since I believe most individuals do not have an accordion at dwelling and do not get to see accordion very a lot, I am assuming lots of people aren’t actually accustomed to what an accordion can actually do and the way it works. So give us a bit tour of your very stunning accordion.
WILL HOLSHOUSER: Nicely, positive. Nicely, on the proper aspect, there is a keyboard. It appears like a piano keyboard. And these keys – while you push a key, it opens a valve within the accordion, and that enables air to cross over steel reeds, that are contained in the field. So…
(SOUNDBITE OF ACCORDION WHOOSHING)
HOLSHOUSER: The nickname for it – one nickname for it’s the squeezebox. In order you progress the bellows forwards and backwards, that generates the air. After which while you push the keys on the proper hand or the buttons on the left hand, that lets the air by, and the reeds sound. So my accordion has 4 units of reeds. It could play very low notes on the proper hand…
(Taking part in accordion).
…Or very excessive notes should you hit a – there’s these register switches. You possibly can change the reed financial institution that is activated.
(Taking part in accordion).
After which there are two center units of reeds, that are barely detuned.
(Taking part in accordion).
And you too can play all 4 units collectively.
(Taking part in accordion).
After which the left hand has buttons, which in the usual accordion system are bass notes and chords.
(Taking part in accordion).
And this was made, invented within the nineteenth century to play music that did that…
(Taking part in accordion).
…European music. And it is all primarily based, in fact, across the European tonal system. That system known as Stradella. There is a city in Italy referred to as Stradella the place it was invented. So it is numerous enjoyable. It is a very versatile instrument with a really wide selection and vast dynamics. The dynamics come from the bellows, which – it is usually stated the bellows within the accordion is just like the bow of a violin. That is the place you get dynamics, expression and an entire host of different results.
GROSS: So manipulate the bellows otherwise to present us a way of how the tone adjustments relying on the way you’re – what is the verb for what you do with the bellows (laughter)? What’s the proper verb?
HOLSHOUSER: Bellowing
GROSS: Bellowing, all proper (laughter).
HOLSHOUSER: I suppose, however yeah. Nicely, , it is largely dynamics. However you may – the sound of the notice does change as you modify the air strain.
(Taking part in accordion).
GROSS: In order that’s going from sluggish to quick, by way of what you are doing with the bellows?
HOLSHOUSER: Yeah, as you push tougher, it will get louder, as you push extra air throughout the reed. And there is some particular results. If you happen to open the valve midway and push the air actually arduous, it will possibly bend the pitch.
(Taking part in accordion).
GROSS: Wow.
HOLSHOUSER: (Laughter).
GROSS: I did not know you could possibly bend notes on accordion. To bend notes on a keyboard instrument…
HOLSHOUSER: Yeah.
GROSS: …That is not a synthesizer, that is fairly (laughter)…
HOLSHOUSER: Proper.
GROSS: Fairly good. So I ought to ask you to play a music for us.
HOLSHOUSER: OK.
GROSS: And your new album, “Introducing Musette Explosion,” is all musette, which is a kind of French music. Inform us what the style is.
HOLSHOUSER: Nicely, it is mainly French dance corridor music from the primary half of the twentieth century. And it is lead – accordion is the lead instrument. Guitar can be essential. And one of many customary kinds in one of these music is the waltz, and to us as Individuals, it sounds iconically French. However then should you look beneath the floor, it really has a really multicultural household tree.
So it started with French peasants in Paris taking part in an instrument referred to as the musette, which was really a bit bagpipe. After which round 1900, there was a wave of Italian immigrants who introduced the accordion and numerous their music to Paris. They usually type of took over the dance halls. The accordion grew to become the lead instrument. The bagpipe was forgotten however left its title to the style, musette. And there have been additionally a big Roma Gypsy inhabitants in France, and so they contributed numerous their type to this style additionally. Some individuals say that Roma guitarists have been the primary ones to put in writing waltzes in minor keys, which grew to become a basic musette sound.
GROSS: Within the custom that Django Reinhardt was from?
HOLSHOUSER: Precisely. His first gig was taking part in banjo in musette dance bands.
GROSS: Banjo? Wow.
HOLSHOUSER: Yeah.
GROSS: Oh. You will have banjo – your guitar participant, Matt Munisteri, performs banjo on among the tracks.
HOLSHOUSER: That is proper.
GROSS: In your album. Oh, OK, OK.
HOLSHOUSER: Yeah. Yeah.
GROSS: So it is best to play one of many musettes out of your album for us. Do you wish to do “Swing Valse”?
HOLSHOUSER: Positive. That sounds nice.
(SOUNDBITE OF ACCORDION CLICKING)
GROSS: What are you doing to your accordion (laughter)?
HOLSHOUSER: Oh, I used to be simply ensuring that I had the proper register on.
GROSS: OK.
HOLSHOUSER: As a result of you may – relying on which register you might have, you will get, , in a distinct octave. Each has a kind of totally different sound or a distinct taste.
GROSS: OK. And that is my visitor, Will Holshouser.
HOLSHOUSER: All proper. That is “Swing Valse,” written by Baro Ferret and Gus Viseur.
(Taking part in accordion).
GROSS: That is nice. That is simply so stunning.
HOLSHOUSER: Thanks.
GROSS: So how have been you first launched to the songs often called musette?
HOLSHOUSER: Via reissues that got here out within the Nineties – there’s a terrific label in France referred to as Fremeaux And Associates. So I heard them, and I used to be struck by this music and type of blown away by – how do they get these sounds out of the accordion? And Matt Munisteri, my pal, felt the identical means. And that is kind of how we began taking part in collectively. We have been each excited by French musette. And it is so expressive, virtuosic. It is an uncommon kind of a few of these tunes, particularly swing valse, are hybrids of jazz and French music. So when a few of these French musette musicians fell in love with jazz within the ’20s and ’30s, they started to put in writing these hybrid tunes that have been – and therefore the title swing valse – impressed by the American information that they have been loopy about.
GROSS: We’ll hear extra of my interview with Will Holshouser, and he’ll play extra music, after a break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
GROSS: That is FRESH AIR. Let’s get again to the interview I recorded with accordion participant Will Holshouser in 2014, after the discharge of his album “Introducing Musette Explosion.” He has a brand new solo album referred to as “The Lone Wild Chook.”
There’s one thing very old style and avant-garde in regards to the accordion, and me – so if I can clarify that (ph), it appears old style as a result of on this period of, like, digital devices and every part, like, you are bodily pumping air into it, ? You are doing it manually to get the air over the reeds to create the sound. However there’s one thing type of avant-garde about it as a result of you will get all these actually uncommon overtones by this array of buttons, virtually as if it was some type of both synthesizer or organ the place you are – , you are simply creating uncommon harmonics.
HOLSHOUSER: It is true. And particularly, yeah, dissonance on the accordion, taking part in notes very shut collectively, can convey out these overtones. And there is a entire vary of results you will get.
GROSS: Go, present us some results you will get.
HOLSHOUSER: All proper, properly, this is a – this is some very excessive notes with particular overtones.
(Taking part in accordion).
And should you shake the bellows, you can also make it…
(Taking part in accordion).
…Shimmer like that. You are able to do these bending notes, like I confirmed you earlier than.
(Taking part in accordion).
There’s kind of cluster – good clusters you will get.
(Taking part in accordion).
Let your hand…
GROSS: I like that.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLSHOUSER: …Flop round on the keyboard like a fish. There’s rhythmic issues you are able to do with the bellows.
(Taking part in accordion).
Generally, after I play for my daughter’s class, I am going to do a practice impact, and the children like that.
(Taking part in accordion).
GROSS: I like that, too.
HOLSHOUSER: (Taking part in accordion).
GROSS: (Laughter).
HOLSHOUSER: Anyway, so yeah, that is – and that is finished by shaking the bellows forwards and backwards. So yeah, there are all types of issues. You are able to do – , you should use the breath, the respiration sound.
(Taking part in accordion).
And also you simply heard the bellows type of squeezing, flopping collectively. So yeah, there’s an entire bunch of results you will get.
GROSS: I find it irresistible. I find it irresistible. There’s an authentic music I will ask you to play that you simply do in your new album “The Musette Explosion.” And that is an authentic music within the type of a French musette. And it is referred to as “Chanson Pop,” which interprets to pop music.
HOLSHOUSER: Sure.
GROSS: So would you speak about composing it? And there is two totally different elements to the music. It is, like, a six-minute piece on the recording. I will ask you to play an excerpt of the opening melody, after which we’ll speak about that, after which we’ll play an excerpt. I will ask you to play an excerpt from deeper in.
HOLSHOUSER: OK.
GROSS: So – however give us an outline of this piece and writing it and what your intention was.
HOLSHOUSER: Nicely, one of many varieties of labor that I’ve actually loved doing as an accordionist in New York during the last, , 20 years or so is accompanying singers, and I’ve had nice pleasure to accompany some singers that do French repertoire from the chanson custom, which, in fact, simply means music. Nevertheless it’s – for instance, essentially the most well-known exponent of the Chanson custom is Edith Piaf.
And for some time, I used to be taking part in with a terrific singer from France named Michel Ermont (ph), and I used to be the one accompanist. It was actually enjoyable as a result of I used to be – it was simply vocals and accordion, so I used to be the complete backdrop. And he would – he was superb at teaching me in creating these accompaniments. And he stated, a music – one among these songs is sort of a film. So this verse is one scene, and that you must create a backdrop. Perhaps it is, like, a sunny day or one thing. Then the subsequent verse or the subsequent a part of the music is completely totally different. Create a distinct backdrop.
So to me, studying about that custom – which is a bit totally different from the musette custom. The musette custom is extra the waltzes, the dances, the dance music, and the chanson custom is extra the poetic songwriting. There’s some overlap, however this piece, I used to be pondering of a few of these Piaf songs and not likely making an attempt to mimic them however kind of making an attempt to faucet into the great grandiosity of a few of these items. So I am going to play the opening melody first.
GROSS: Good. Sure.
HOLSHOUSER: OK.
(Taking part in accordion).
GROSS: Oh that is stunning. And that is Will Holshouser in our studio, taking part in the opening of his music “Chanson Pop.” And I do know you stated that that is primarily based on, like, chanson, French music. To me, it sounds prefer it’s additionally primarily based on hymns.
HOLSHOUSER: OK.
GROSS: And I do know that your father was a minister.
HOLSHOUSER: That is proper.
GROSS: And I think about you heard numerous hymns rising up. Do you hear a bit hymn-like high quality in that piece?
HOLSHOUSER: You are a really perceptive listener.
GROSS: Aren’t I?
HOLSHOUSER: Sure (laughter), completely. And that is actually – for me, that is virtually the start – very starting of my musical life, my curiosity in music, goes to church as a child and listening to these hymns and feeling one thing stirring inside me that I could not describe – , feeling virtually, like, a type of fact or one thing that was a really direct expertise and that I actually could not put into phrases.
GROSS: Was it a mix of lovely music in a sacred place?
HOLSHOUSER: I believe so, yeah. It was, , clearly individuals coming collectively to be quiet and to consider critical issues. And the – my first music trainer was the artist in residence at our church, and he wrote jazz for the providers. His title is Douglas Prepare dinner (ph), and he wrote very stunning, very dissonant, meditative jazz that may be within the providers. So for me, that is the start of numerous my – what I like about music is the hymns, the music that Doug wrote in our service. And to me, it is – music – that is what’s nice about music is it is this inner language that we are able to all share. It is accessible to everyone.
GROSS: My interview with Will Holshouser was recorded in 2014. He has a brand new solo accordion album referred to as “The Lone Wild Chook.” Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, we’ll speak about how JD Vance rose from a struggling Ohio metal city to Yale Legislation College to Enterprise Capital and now the vice presidency. Alongside the best way, he shed outdated convictions and adopted new ones, some deeply divisive. We’ll speak with Atlantic journal staffwriter George Packer about Vance’s transformation and what it reveals about the way forward for American politics. I hope you will be part of us.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
GROSS: To maintain up with what’s on the present and get highlights of our interviews, comply with us on Instagram at @nprfreshair. FRESH AIR’S government producer is Danny Miller. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham, with further engineering at present from Adam Staniszewski. Our managing producer is Sam Briger. Our interviews and opinions are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Ann Marie Baldonado, Lauren Krenzel, Therese Madden, Monique Nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi and Anna Bauman. Our digital media producer is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Our consulting visible producer is Hope Wilson (ph). Roberta Shorrock directs the present. Our co-host is Tonya Mosley. I am Terry Gross.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
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