Anne Niepold – Musette Is Not Dead (2014)

self-release – 2014

http://www.anneniepold.be/Anne_Niepold/accueil.html

One half of Duex Accords Piront (she has also played with Knopf Quartet and La Rosa Enflorese), Anne is not a newbie when it comes to solos or inventive music. It seems to just come natural to this empirical diatonique accordion composer, player, performer, and arranger from Belgium. The cover art shows her pacing through the streets of some familiar neighborhood looking to the skies as she plays her accordion. It’s a tiny slice of the journey she outlines in the nice digipak inner notes as to the concept of her brilliant new recording, “Musette Is Not Dead”.

Anyone who might jump to conclusions would be jumping to a false start. The journey is full of colors and textures where a half dozen additional musicians are added to make this a supreme listening experience. Everything from lonely street serenade to wedding celebration, from serious polka to theater jubilee and even spots of avant-garde, with many excursions to be enjoyed.

Anne always creates worlds, scenes, and atmosphere you never forget. She has been playing accordion since age thirteen. As a composer, she offers the willing world of listeners a very special peek into what they would never see (or hear) unless they brave the time to listen and buy her wondrous music. Anne invites you into the magical world of her creations for you to dissolve in. Take a chance. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lee Henderson – December 26, 2014

1. Soir De Paris (Ferrari) (5:50)
2. Escadrille (Privat, Dory, Vaysse) (1:57)
3. Vent D’Automne (Carrara, Agel) (2:40)
4. Modern’ Valse (Candrino, Privat) (3:10)
5. Nuit blanche (Privat, Lhotellier, Vaysse) (2:03)
6. Flaneuse (Simonnin) (3:50)
7. Tohu-Bohu (Niepold) (2:46)
8. Deluge (Privat) (3:33)
9. Douce Joie (Viseur) (6:08)
10. Sa Preferee (Privat, Vaysse) (2:12)
11. Melodie D’Oiseaux (Viseur, Herazal) (2:31)
12. Mysterieuse (Privat, Vaysse) (3:16)
13. Loulou (Ferrari (2:39)
14. Tornade (Caron, Viseur) (5:34)
15. Nevermind (Niepold) (3:12)