Two musician-composers with distinct voices have graced us with intriguing new releases recently: The Lone Wild Bird, a solo album from accordionist Will Holshouser, and Every Journey, from pianist Claire Cope’s 11-piece Ensemble C. Both are definitely ear-worthy.
I first heard accordionist and composer Will Holshouser back in 2006 as the leader of a splendid trio, with trumpeter Ron Horton and bassist Dave Phillips, on the album Singing to a Bee. I was taken by both his musicality, which is as wide-ranging and adventurous as it is charming and spiritually attuned, and his technical mastery of the instrument, which in his hands possesses an expressiveness I had never suspected. In the years since, Holshouser has worked with a number of other musicians whom I esteem, such as Matt Munisteri, Eric Vloeimans, and Regina Carter, and each project has found a lasting place in the rotation. His newest release, The Lone Wild Bird, a solo tour de force that weaves together multiple genres, including both originals and covers, has all the qualities that first attracted me to his marvelously eclectic music. Holshouser’s compact compositions are rich in harmony and counterpoint, made possible by his Titano accordion, which can convert from the standard Stradella bass system, with its chord-loaded buttons, to a free bass system. This allows a range of expression and complexity that will make you think the tracks have been overdubbed, but they have not. The music stretches from a majestic arrangement of the title track’s shape-note hymn to the edgy twelve-tone row that opens Holshouser’s “Twelve Statues in the Snow.” There are a couple of Cajun waltzes from the repertoires of Michael Doucet and the Balfa Brothers and Holshouser’s tribute to Jimmy Smith (“Blue Waters”). The captivating original “Aviary” joyfully opens the proceedings, with Holshouser’s accordion sounding like a portable pipe organ. Folk, jazz, hymns, blues, and more all find a welcome and happy home in the reeds of Holshouser’s accordion, and The Lone Wild Bird makes good company with its abundant musical invention and human warmth.
In her latest release, Every Journey, new-to-me English composer and pianist Claire Cope and her 11-piece Ensemble C float lyrical melodies, voiced largely by wordless vocals, over a gently propulsive rhythm section, punctuated by the punch and growl of an assertive horn section. Inspired by the exploits of female explorers, the eight lush compositions touch on elements of Brazilian and Cuban music, funk, and hard bop. Cope’s supple, airy melodies, which remind me of Pat Metheny’s work, employ simple building blocks cunningly assembled, and they are supported by her subtle and surprising harmonic sensibility. She beautifully blends the vocalist into the tight-as-a-drum horn section, and her brilliant horn arrangements add a welcome pungency to the compositions both harmonically and rhythmically. On several of the tracks, I found myself anticipating the conclusion, only to discover that we were only halfway through the composition. As it turned out in each case, Cope had more to say and delivered fresh developments that moved the musical expedition forward. The musicians, who are all new to me, deliver exceptional performances both as an ensemble and as soloists, include Brigitte Beraha (voice), Freddie Gavita (trumpet), Mike Soper (trumpet and flugelhorn), Anoushka Nanguy (trombone), Matt Carmichael (tenor sax), Rob Cope (bari sax/bass clarinet/flute), Ant Law (guitar), Cope (piano), Gavin Barras (bass), Jon Ormston (drums), and Jack McCarthy (percussion). Among the many highlights are Law’s guitar on “Flight,” Soper’s flugelhorn (I think) on “The Larch and the Birch,” Carmichael’s sax on the majestic “Ambosele,” and the dancing line and the outrageous horn arrangements on “That Nabongo Feeling.”
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© 2025 Mel Minter