Home » Jazz Articles » Multiple Reviews » Accordion Three-Fer: Triphilia; Nice Guy Trio & Will Holshouser

494

Accordion Three-Fer: Triphilia; Nice Guy Trio & Will Holshouser

By

Sign in to view read count








Alan Bern/Michael Rodach/Paul Brody

Triophilia

Jazzwerkstatt

2009


The Nice Guy Trio

Here Comes The Nice Guy Trio

Porto Franco

2009


Will Holshouser Trio + Bernardo Sassetti

Palace Ghosts and Drunken Hymns

Clean Feed

2001


Because it was portable and reflected the many cultures that came to the US in the 20th century, once upon a time in American popular music the accordion was the thing. Then it pretty much disappeared, seen as a kind of corny relic. But it has resurfaced as a vital and expressive instrument giving new and different color. Here are three stunning examples—all in trio format and with trumpet as an essential partner.

Alan Bern positively glows as he helps his comrades on Triophilia—Paul Brody on trumpet and flugelhorn and Michael Brodach on guitar—deliver an almost orchestral approach to tunes that suggest a whole world of influences. Bern and Brody are Americans who have relocated to Berlin, working here with native Berliner Brodach to give new dimension to everything from Jewish and South American music to Bartók to Gil Evans—all in original new compositions. There's so much in these tunes: blues or the impression of same, in Bern's "Angel Blue"; a sense of spiritual odyssey in Brody's "Heschel"; a blend of new jazz and traditional colors in "Bartoki" and an ever-present sense of new worlds opening out of the old.

Rob Reich's European-flavored accordion is the first thing we hear on Here Comes The Nice Guy Trio. It introduces the lovely, atmospheric "The Balancing Act," a perfect name for what these San Franciscans accomplish. Reich, trumpeter Darren Johnston and bassist Daniel Fabricant blend improvisational skills, composition that smartly utilizes texture and mood and the best kind of group interplay. There are originals by all three but they take extraordinary, creative approaches to a couple of jazz classics such as Ornette Coleman's "Folk Tale" and Mingus' "Fables of Faubus," featuring David Phillips' pedal steel. On several songs, the trio is augmented by guest instrumental colors such as clarinet, violin, cello, dumbek and tablas.

Will Holhouser's trio with Ron Horton (trumpet) and David Phillips (bass) has worked together for ten years to create a sound at once light and playful yet rich and intense. A session with pianist Bernardo Sassetti yielded Palace Ghosts and Drunken Hymns, which, says the leader, reflects something the pianist and this trio have in common—..." calm surfaces and deep waters." It opens with "Danca Palaciana" by Carlos Paredes, master of the Portuguese 12-string guitar, accordion setting the tone immediately. Throughout the recording Horton uses a great number of his horn's possibilities, Phillips buoys the proceedings, plucking and bowing with passion, and Sassetti inserts a heady lyricism and a sense of occasion. To hear how much these players enjoy each other, go to Holshouser's "Dance of the Dead," a funny, intricate series of movements, and album closer "Drunkard's Hymn," which playfully and gloriously finds the link between spirituality and alcohol.

Tracks and Personnel



Triophilia

Tracks: Music for Fish; Eskimo Maerchen; Secret Cinema; Angel Blue; Baleias; Tango Valeska; Heschel; Track 15; Der Elegante Esel; Bartoki; Swaying.

Personnel: Alan Bern: accordion, melodica, piano; Michael Brodach: guitar; Paul Brody: trumpet, flugelhorn.



Here Comes The Nice Guy Trio

Tracks: The Balancing Act; Apples; Simple Life; Fables of Faubus; Woeful; See Ya; Folk Tale; Unicycle Cocek; Amy's Day; Off the Grid; Ducci Calypso.

Personnel: Rob Reich: accordion; Darren Johnston: trumpet; Daniel Fabricant: bass; on selected tracks: Sameer Gupta: tablas; Ben Goldberg: clarinet; Alex Kelly: cello; Dina Maccabee: violin; David Phillips: pedal steel; Aaron Keirbel: dumbek, assorted drums.



Palace Ghosts and Drunken Hymns

Tracks: Danca Palaciana; Dance of the Dead; Narayama; East River Breeze; The Oldest Boat; Irreverente; Department of Peace; Drunkard's Hymn.

Personnel: Will Holhouser: accordion; Ron Horton: trumpet; David Phillips: bass; Bernardo Sassetti: piano.

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.