Noah Haidu is a pianist who endows his debut, “Slipstream” (Posi-Tone) with a no-nonsense, straight-ahead groove, and it’s some of the best group jazz you can hear in 2011, thanks to a line-up of boffo contemporary players — trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and saxophonist Jon Irabagon, two neo-traditionalists who always blow hot and cool; bassist Chris Haney and drummer John Davis keep things tight and tuneful, and the great stickman, Willie Jones III, kicks it out on drums for three tracks. Haidu boldly demonstrates his affection for the great acoustic jazz groups of the 50’s and 60’s, but his charts and adroit technique (“Break Tune”) shout modern jazz. The pianist proves that he’s an enterprising improviser, from the jaunty “Soulstep” and the trippy ballad, “Float,” to the romp and circumstance of “Just One Of Those Things.” It’s affirming to hear a pianist who’s chock full of ideas, with a stand out quintet that never outshines the leader. (8 tracks; 49:19 minutes)
Tag: Noah Haidu
Lucid Culture reviews Noah Haidu “Slipstream”…
Noah Haidu’s Slipstream Floats Away
Jazz pianist Noah Haidu has an intriguing new album just out on Posi-tone. Haidu has an individual style – he wanders and hints at melody, with deft use of chromatics, rather than hitting it head-on. That role is left to the horns here, and he’s got a couple of really good ones, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet and Jon Irabagon on alto sax, along with Chris Haney on bass and John Davis on drums (with Willie Jones III behind the kit on three tracks). Haidu aims for an update on a classic 50s hook-based style, with judicious shifts in time and tempo, plenty of room for some choice solo spots and an inevitable return to the head or the hook at the end of the song.
Jones gives the cheery opener, Soulstep, a steady clave beat, Pelt and Irabagon both cutting loose with good-natured, lyrical solos, Haidu right behind them. The stern chords that open Where Are We Right Now are a false alarm: it morphs into a bright ensemble piece, Haidu adding a bit of a rattling, funky edge, Irabagon spinning through the clouds with an effortless grace: it’s hard to imagine that the purist pro at work here has an alter ego whose antics have made recent albums by Bryan Murray andJon Lundbom so hilarious. The title track maintains the upbeat vibe, a brisk blend of old (30s, vaudevillian) and newer (60s, loungey). Break Tune builds off a staggered, Monk-ish piano hook, Irabagon playing good cop to Pelt’s repeat offender as the trumpet mauls the end of a series of swirling Irabagon phrases.
The judiciously brooding piano ballad Float, a trio piece with bass and drums, is a blues in disguise, followed by Take Your Time, wistful and simple with a purist pop feel. Another trio piece, Just One of Those Things gives Haidu a launching pad for some particularly tasty, bluesy horn voicings as he works his way up the scale. They close with a genial, 50s style swing theme, The Trouble Makers, which exemplifies everything that’s good and also frustrating about the album, including but not limited to the indomitable rhythm section and Pelt’s genial soloing. Trouble is that by now, the tropes that Haidu has fallen back throughout the album have past their expiration date as far as maintaining suspense, or for that matter maintaining interest. Does that staccato chromatic run up the scale mean the end of the solo? Of course it does, weren’t you listening when that happened ten minutes ago? Or the time before that? This is the kind of album that works best as an ipod shuffle: most every track here is a good choice for spicing up a mix or adding a hit of energy between slow ballads. And it’s reason to keep an a eye on Haidu to see what he puts out next.
Giovanni Russonello interviews Noah Haidu for Capitalbop.com
Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt has flourished in a variety of settings – playing with groups from the soul-funk outfit Soulive to the Mingus Big Band – but he’s developed an identity as a leader of the new generation of New York City’s post-bop players. This ilk’s music springs from Miles Davis’ work with Wayne Shorter in the 1960s, and prizes original compositions that both swing and groove. Pianist Noah Haidu, who co-leads a quartet with Pelt at Twins Jazz this weekend, is on his way to becoming another major part of that landscape.
Haidu’s debut album as a leader, the recently released Slipstream, is an acoustic affair that reveals a performer and composer with focus and vision. With a quintet that features Pelt and star saxophonist Jon Irabagon, the album’s tunes explore harmonies that begin on the piano and add vertical depth from the lean, punchy horn duo. As an improviser, Haidu is quick but deliberate, clearly influenced by the thematic experimentation of legendary modal pianists.
Noah Haidu, “Soulstep” (from Slipstream)
I caught up with Haidu over the phone for a conversation about what it’s like to play with Pelt, and what musicians most inspire him.
CapitalBop: In terms of your first record, I get a lot of the modal 1960s influence – maybe the songwriting of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard – plus a real connection to the groovier, more hip-hop-influenced kind of stuff that’s coming out of New York now. How would you respond to that sort of assessment? Where am I wrong, where am I right?
Noah Haidu: I have a big palette that I draw from, and a long list of things that get in the mix and have been influences. So everything you said: Herbie and Wayne, as players and composers those guys loom really large for me. And I’m always, always checking that out.
There’s a couple other things – I think you can probably hear some other stuff, like a little bit of Wynton Kelly. I think “The Trouble Makers” [on Slipstream] has a sort of in-the-pocket swing thing. Another composer and pianist isKenny Kirkland; he’s kind of like the modal pianist of the ’80s, in a way, and he’s coming from all those same things that we just talked about. And you mentioned hip-hop and groove-oriented stuff – I think you’re right on the money.
CB: Do you think the hard-bop sound and tradition is something that’s integral to what you do?
NH: I think it’s all part of a mix – you know, with a lot of people that really love that style, it can be a bit of a “recreate” or, “those same chord changes with my melody and hits.” So I just think that all of it is part of a continuum. It’s hard to make a huge separation; it’s hard to have Wynton Kelly and Herbie and to separate them, and for me even Kenny Kirkland. Some people cut it off at a certain period – nothing newer than the ’60s, nothing newer than the ’80s, whatever it is. I try not to have a cutoff point.
CB: Who are some people you’re listening to right now, saying, “That’s got staying power?” Is there anybody on the scene right now that you find yourself putting on the iPod all the time?
NH: I confess that I don’t think there’s a record out right now that I listen to all the time. I do pick up the things that [Jeremy] Pelt does more often than anyone else. I [like] his composing – and he puts together cohesive bands. I think he’s an important voice right now.
I think that Brad Mehldau is doing [important things]. It’s tough for me to say that, because there’s so many Brad Mehldau wannabes, or there’s becoming a whole school. But I think he’s doing something that’s interesting; I think he’s had an impact on the language, opened up possibilities. Kind of like other people like that – maybe like Bill Evans. Time will tell if it’s as important or has as big of an impact….
We just played a gig with the quintet [from Slipstream], and I think Jon Irabagon is doing some really interesting. He played some stuff the other night that I’ve just never heard before. I’ve loved him since I met him a couple years ago. I just didn’t even know what he was doing, but it was great. It just had some new ideas, some new sounds and shapes coming out. So he’s something to definitely watch out for.
CB: In terms of Jeremy Pelt, what is it about his language that you enjoy listening to? What’s captivating to you?
NH: Well, one thing that I’ve noticed playing with him on gigs is that when we’re playing a song and he’s taking a solo, he doesn’t play licks. I don’t hear things that are like, “Oh yeah, that’s one of my favorite Freddie Hubbard things or Miles, or whatever.” It literally is a language. He’s improvising in a language and there’s something unpredictable about it. So as far as the playing side, that’s a big deal for me. As far as his composing, I just think that he’s one of the most interesting compositional voices. And I like the way he works in different kinds of groups.
CB: Composing is a huge part of your mode of expression…. You obviously have a voice that’s defined. I’m curious about how you approach composing; if you have a particular regimen. Do you wait for something to inspire you? Do you set yourself deadlines – like, “I want to compose a song today?”
NH: It’s tough to do the “I want to compose a song today” thing, although sometimes when you don’t make time to compose, the ideas pile up, and you just say, “Alright, I’m going to sit down and things will come out.” … Usually there’s something circling around in my head and then I have to stop what I’m doing and either write it down, or lately just make a recording of it and come back to it later. And you know, I’ve got a whole mess of unfinished things kicking around right now – and finished things, frankly – that are getting ready for the next record.
You know, there’s usually some type of melody or some kind of idea or groove that does coalesce. And then I have to say, “Let me get to the piano and work this out.” And then from there it takes a long while to see it through, to figure out what needs to be added and what part of it doesn’t work. And it’s a long kind of chipping away, forging the composition.
CB: In terms of your ambitions, do you have things that you’re eager to get done? Or things that you have in the middle- or long-term future that you say, “This is something that I really look forward to getting a chance to do? Composing for orchestra or touring abroad or whatever it might be.
NH: I think things like going abroad with my group and just doing the next record and continuing the process. This first record, Slipstream, was only released in March, so I’m going to be working this for a while. But I’m continuing to write, continuing to do as much playing as I can, and I’d like to come back to D.C. after this week and have some more hits down there. Just get around the country as much as I can, in addition to getting out of the country. That’s the main thing: just keeping recording and playing as much as I can.
CB: Do you have any idea what instrumentation you’d like to try out on the next record?
NH: I’m really into doing the trio right now. I’m really looking forward to doing that. I feel like the trio is going up to another level right now. We’ve been playing at Cleopatra’s Needle every week, and we play at Smalls with some regularity. And then I can hear some bigger orchestration – something like an octet or septet – but I think the next one will probably be trio, with perhaps some tunes with one or two horns on it.
CB: What are you getting out of the trio? Is it that you guys have a growing level of synergy because you’ve been relating to each other for so long now, or what?
NH: It’s fairly new. I wish we could be able to say we’ve been playing for so long, but the trio that I would look to record with, we’ve been together for even under a year now. But I do think it has a great chemistry…. I think trio challenges you to find your own voice. And I love writing for the sound of the horns playing the tunes, and that’s a great way to present the music to people – they can really grab onto that sound, and it’s very clear what the melody is. But I think the trio – at least for me, and I think for a lot of pianists – it’s my own voice, and it challenges me in a way, [when] you don’t have some horn player to come in. You have to really hold it all down. It puts more on me; I have to play more, have to do more. So that’s exciting for me, and it’s been something that I’m growing from and getting a lot out of.
Bruce Lindsay’s AAJ review for Noah Haidu “Slipstream”…
Slipstream is the debut from New York-based pianist/writer Noah Haidu. Featuring an exceptionally talented quintet of musicians, it’s a striking first album, full of superb, straight-ahead jazz.
Haidu’s compositions—he wrote all but one of the tunes—are strong on melody and characterized by a gentle and soulful swing. As a pianist, Haidu sounds equally comfortable as a lead musician or as part of the rhythm section. Of course, his fellow musicians are high quality players themselves, and are key to the album’s success.
The frontline features alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Irabagon is capable of some wild and wacky musical flights, as his work with Mostly Other People Do The Killing and his own Foxy (Hot Cup, 2010) attest. But he’s also a class act on more mainstream tunes. Pelt has a luxurious tone on trumpet, and is never less than tasteful in his playing. The two players are inspired choices for Haidu’s music, working beautifully together and delivering engaging solos.
“Soulstep” has a warmly familiar style to its melody and arrangement, like a Mike Post TV theme. It’s full of movement and pace, with drummer Willie Jones III to the fore and Haidu’s deftly positioned chords adding just the right accents. “Where We Are Right Now” features more of Haidu’s rhythm work, while Pelt and Irabagon fatten up the sound with some tight unison playing. “Float” does just that, thanks to John Davis’ relaxed brush work, while “Break Tune” has a more modern sound, its fractured melody and funky rhythm giving it a harder edge than the other tunes.
Haidu opens the one non-original, Cole Porter’s “Just One Of Those Things,” in confident style, with some chunky flourishes, before hitting the melody with a real swing. Davis and bassist Chris Haney give the tune an irresistible drive, and Haidu’s solo positively rocks.
Slipstream is another fine addition to the Posi-Tone catalog, from a lyrical player with an intriguing line in compositions who’s extremely well-served by the rest of the band. Slipstream is mainstream with a flourish.
Jazzreview.com talks about Noah Haidu “Slipstream”…
Musicians: Noah Haidu (piano), Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Jon Irabagon (alto saxophone), Chris Haney (bass), John Davis (drums 2, 4, 5, 7, 8), Willie Jones III (drums 1, 3, 6)
Review: Pianist Noah Haidu composes and plays with a genuine approach to blending the sounds of hard-bop, soul and Latin-tinged jazz. Slipstream, his debut release for Posi-Tone records, effortlessly melds varying styles into an accessible mix of sleek melodic themes and contagious rhythms. Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon make up the front-line of the quintet, capturing seven of Haidu’s original pieces and a swinging piano trio version of Cole Porter’s “Just One of Those Things.”Haidu demonstrates an abundance of chops, at times harkening the fluidity of Chick Corea and the rhythmic incessancy of Horace Silver. His solo lines on the simmering title track and the buoyant waltz of “Floating” are indicators of a pianist with a firm grasp of the instrument’s history, especially that of the last half of the 20th century. A light touch, full of intensity, can be felt on the mellow, R & B-flavored “Take Your Time.”
The wild ride of “Break Tune,” traversing the landscape of funk and free-jazz, features inspired blowing from Pelt and Irabagon, who trade back forth with heightened awareness. Other disc highlights include the radio friendly groove and catchy melody of “Soulstep” and the closing “The Trouble Makers,” featuring the hard driving swinging pulse of drummer John Davis and bassist Chris Haney.
Slipstream is a welcome addition to the Posi-Tone catalogue. With the right combination of first-rate players and above-average material, Haidu has the potential for widespread appeal.
The Urban Flux reviews Noah Haidu “Slipstream”….
Based in New York, pianist-composer Noah Haidu originally from Charlottesville, VA debuts with his engaging bop induced yet lyrically intense album titled “SLIPSTREAM” on Posi-Tone Records. All compositions on this recording were written by Haidu with the exception of “Just One of Those Things” composed by Cole Porter.
Out of the box “SLIPSTREAM,” sonically encompasses the familiar tonality and melodic attributes the masters in jazz has recorded for years. Is Noah Haidu doing anything audibly different or thought-provoking? Many view his sound as cutting edge, his music is rhythmically tight and harmonically on point. As I listen, his voice ascends while evenly balance in the language of jazz to provide potent melodies with substance which should generate lots of conversation about what this remarkable young musician has to offer anyone who is willing to listen.
Without notice the opening track “SOULSTEP” jump starts the session. It bounces and sways with attitude, precision, maturity and enthusiasm. To make these compositions gel, Haidu is accompanied by A-list players including trumpeter-Jeremy Pelt, alto-saxophonist -Jon Irabagon, drummer -Willie Jones III (trks-1/3/6), Chris Haney plays the bass and John Davis plays the remaining songs on drums.
“WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW,” at the second spot compliments the opening piece in tempo, structure and style. The elastic arrangement of this jewel attaches itself to the upward and mobile groove of “SLIPSTREAM.” The interplay on both pieces immediately draws your attention to the way Haidu utilizes this talented bunch as you would hope to hear manifest on any recording.
At the first glance, the seriously funky “BREAK TUNE” caught me off guard. The syncopated horn combo of Pelt & Irabagon burns with accuracy and fiery swag anchored to the persistent delivery of the rhythm section makes this gem distinctly potent and exceptionally tight.
The next piece “FLOAT,” is one of my favorites on the project slows the pace in an eloquent way examines the intricate patterns of the song which unavoidably showcases this gifted ensembles impulsive chemistry and flexible interplay once again.
Maybe it’s just me, but slowing the tempo and lower volume causes me to listen with intend. For example, on “TAKE YOUR TIME” Haidu reveals the intimate side of his composing and arranging voice without being locked into a backdrop but he is able to entice you into this spacious, inviting and stellar arrangement.
The last two selections, Cole Porter’s “JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS” swings with authority and absolute divine purpose. Pelt and Irabagon take the lead on “THE TROUBLE MAKERS” to close out this phenomenal set. Of course, they leave plenty of room for pianist Noah Haidu to state this case as lead soloist to show why he is without a doubt the real deal. –Rob Young | Review
Track listing:
1. Soulstep
2. Where We Are Right Now
3. Slipstream
4. Break Tune
5. Float
6. Take Your Time
7. Just One of Those Things
8. The Trouble Makers
Musicians:
Noah Haidu – piano
Jeremy Pelt – trumpet
Jon Irabagon – alto sax
Chris Haney – bass
John Davis – drums
Willie Jones III – drums (trks. 1, 3, & 6)
Producer, Marc Free
Dan Bilawsky’s AAJ review for Noah Haidu “Slipstream”…
What do slipstreams and music have in common? The simple answer is: flow. While some genres have turned their back on the idea of letting each piece of music flow in its own unique way, subscribing instead to digital quantizing and beat perfection, jazz isn’t one of them. On his appropriately titled debut, Slipstreams, pianist Noah Haidu presents eight unique tracks that are as unpredictable as the flow of air in the wake of an airplane propeller.
Haidu tapped some heavyweights for this recording, including trumpet giant Jeremy Pelt and Thelonious Monk Saxophone Competition-winner Jon Irabagon, and both men prove to be perfect for his music. They deliver warp speed solos over up-tempo swing (“Slipstream”) and blend beautifully when winding their way through the head on Haidu’s “Soulstep.” Pelt’s broad-toned trumpet confidently swaggers over the rhythm section on “The Trouble Makers,” and both men duke it out in a no-holds-barred brawl on “Break Tune.” Irabagon’s playing with the left-leaning, humor-heavy ensemble Mostly Other People Do The Killing has marked him as an avant-garde adventurer in the minds of some jazz fans, but this music is an excellent example of his stellar playing in a more settled vein.
While the horn players deserve a good amount of credit for their contributions to these pieces, it’s still Haidu’s show, and has his hands—figuratively and literally—in everything that happens on this album. Whether the band is moving through an organically flowing waltz (“Float”), a slightly slick vehicle (“Take Your Time”) or a reshaped standard, molded to fit with Haidu’s vision (Cole Porter’s “Just One Of Those Things”), he always finds the perfect part for each song. “Where We Are Right Now” is an excellent example of Haidu’s holistic view of the piano’s role in music. He sets up the rhythmic direction of the music with his chordal statements, supports the horn lines, enhances some of bassist Chris Haney’s movements and solos with passion and purpose. He even seems to develop a telepathic rapport with drummer John Davis, as both seem to lock in with one another and turn up the heat during Haidu’s solo spot.
Slipstream soars and flows in all the right ways with Haidu piloting his music from the piano.
Something Else! reviews Noah Haidu “Slipstream”….
Noah Haidu – Slipstream (2011)
Posted by S. Victor Aaron
Posi-Tone Records, the label that has done more than anyone else lately in putting out records by the brightest new talent in mainstream and modern jazz, introduced the pianist and composer Noah Haidu to the world last week. Slipstream went on sale March 22, a debut that doesn’t present mere potential, but an accomplished jazz ace making hard-bop in an accomplished manner.
The first review for our latest release “Slipstream” by pianist Noah Haidu…
Slipstream – Noah Haidu (Posi-Tone Records) -The Los Angeles, CA-based Posi-Tone keeps finding new artists deserving of our attention. Haidu, a Virginia native and graduate of Rutgers University, is no exception. His debut session as a leader features the fine front line ofJeremy Pelt (trumpet) and Jon Irabagon (alto sax) with the solid rhythm section of Chris Haney (acoustic bass) and drummersJohn Davis or Willie Jones III (on 3 tracks).
The blend of Pelt and Irabagon, 2 players who know the history of their respective instruments vis a vis jazz, makes for intriguing music. The opening track, “Soulstep“, has the feel of early 1960s Horace Silver with its funky rhythms and “sweet” solos. “Where We Are Right Now” moves in similar fashion but the piece feels somewhat more exploratory – one hears the change in the shifting tempi (kudos to John Davis for really pushing the band.) The pianist really dances over the active rhythm section, spurring on the bassist and drummer to a higher intensity. Irabagon, who’s best known for his work in Mostly Other People Do the Killing as well as being the winner of the 2009 Thelonious Monk Competition, sinks his teeth into a passionate solo. Pelt, who has developed into a masterful player, takes a lovely solo on “Take Your Time“, a ballad on which Haidu’s solo builds quietly but firmly into a soulful expression. Pelt’s bluesy solo on “The Trouble Makers” gives the piece a Jazz Messengers feel, a la the ensemble featuring Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter. “Break Tune” blends the influences of Monk, Herbie Hancock and Geri Allen into a most funky concoction, the trumpet and saxophone trading phrases over Davis’s “fatback” drumming.
The program also includes several trio tracks (sans sax and trumpet) – there is the fast-paced romp through Cole Porter’s “Just One Of Those Things” and a sweet ballad titled “Float.” On the latter track, bassist Haney supplies fine counterpoint to the pianist’s thoughtful solo work. That’s one of Haidu’s strength in that he does not try to blow the listener away with prodigious technique – his solos unwind gradually, growing out from the melody or harmonic patterns.
“Slipstream” won’t blow you away with fiery solos or breath-taking rhythms but impresses with its subtle variations on classic sounds, the short but pithy solos and the classy rhythm section work. Noah Haidu can certainly play and, in his quickly maturing compositional style, he creates pleasing musical playgrounds for his band. For more information, go to www.noahhaidu.com.
Here’s the opening track of the CD, courtesy of Posi-Tone Records and IODA Promonet:
Soulstep (mp3)