I didn’t wake up one day suddenly longing to hear a trumpet and accordion duo, but now that Two for the Road is in my life, the new album by Eric Vloeimans and Will Holshouser seems essential. The Dutch trumpeter and American accordionist shift between Nordic jazz, beer hall melodies and Appalachian twang with sleek ingenuity. The pairing may be unusual, but Two for the Road isn’t a novelty. An elegant earthiness makes “Deep Gap” the most immediate track. “Redbud Winter” blends highbrow classical conceptions with European folk traditions. Even a cover of “Rainbow Connection” isn’t cloying. Simultaneously cerebral and fun, the duo’s music has unexpectedly become my default soundtrack.
