Eric Vloeimans / Will Holshouser Duo

Eric Vloeimans (trumpet), Will Holshouser (accordion)

“Unforgettably unclassifiable … expressive and uncategorizable chamber music in a jazz setting.” – Mel Minter, Musically Speaking blog (USA)

“With its beauty and eclectic influences … a CD release from their 2021 concert tour in the Netherlands is a “must” purchase.”  * * * * *

– Jeff Krow, Audiophile Audition (USA)

An adventurous trumpet and accordion duo, Eric Vloeimans and Will Holshouser play evocative original compositions that bring together sounds from jazz, classical and folk music: rich harmonies, catchy melodies, and energetic improvising span the range from emotional to fun. These these two virtuoso musicians use the intimacy of the duo setting to full effect, taking listeners on a journey through a variety of musical landscapes. Along the way, the trumpet and accordion point to a variety of cultural influences, distilled by these two composer/improvisers into a thrilling set of music.

Trumpeter Eric Vloeimans is one of the best-known musicians in the Netherlands, having won six Edison awards (the “Dutch Grammy”) for his recordings. He is in constant demand as a bandleader and guest soloist and has appeared all over the world with groups ranging from the Mercer Ellington Orchestra to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, as well as his own bands. Recently, he was invited by the king of the Netherlands to play a concert for a state visit to the Czech Republic. Will Holshouser is a veteran of the New York music scene and is one of the most widely respected accordionists in the US. He has toured and recorded with many artists including Regina Carter, David Krakauer, and Antony & the Johnsons. Three albums of his own music have been released by the Portuguese label Clean Feed. The duo recorded their first album, Eric & Will, in the US in 2017. After a pandemic pause, their latest album Two for the Road (V-flow/Challenge Jazz) was recorded live on tour in the Netherlands in 2021. In 2022, they toured to thirteen cities in the U.S.

Will Holshouser began playing accordion in the late 1980s when a friend gave him an old squeezebox as a surprise. At the time he was studying music in college; the accordion let him branch out to playing in bar bands, learning many kinds of folk music, and doing an eclectic range of work on the New York scene. He has since performed in over 30 countries around the world. In addition to leading his own groups and writing music, he has played with a wide variety of artists including jazz violinist Regina Carter, modern klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, Suzanne Vega, Antony and the Johnsons, Michael Winograd, Han Bennink & Michael Moore, Lisa Gutkin, Guy Klucevsek, Uri Caine, Martha Wainwright, Loudon Wainwright III, Andy Statman, and many others. Three albums of his own music for trio, featuring trumpeter Ron Horton and bassist Dave Phillips, have been released by the Portuguese label Clean Feed. His group Musette Explosion, a collaboration with Matt Munisteri on guitar and Marcus Rojas on tuba, made it to Billboard’s Jazz Albums chart and was featured in an interview on NPR’s Fresh Air. He has been commissioned as a composer by the American Accordionists’ Association and Bachtopus Accordion Ensemble. He has also worked on Broadway, in the studio with film composers including Elliot Goldenthal and Rachel Portman, and with classical ensembles including NYC Ballet, NYC Opera, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Ensemble Connect and more.  Holshouser studied accordion and composition with his mentor Dr. William Schimmel, and composition with Tania León, Dalit Warshaw, Anthony Braxton, and Bill Barron. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his family and teaches at Brooklyn College.