Program

Sean Noonan's Brewed by Noon

featuring Alex Marcelo,piano/keyboards, Aram Bajakian, guitar, Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, electric bassist, and Sean Noonan, electro-acoustic drum set and compositions.

"The drummer and composer Sean Noonan approaches postmodern jazz and world music from the same angle of self-discovery ... he manages to make his pieces speak coherently, and in a unified voice."

• The New York Times

Sean Noonan has been busy stirring up the ingredients in his newest brew that further explores the fermentation of Afro-Celtic wandering folk music from the New York progressive jazz scene. Noonan's latest release "Boxing Dreams" is a wildly ambitious and idiosyncratic concept album whose elements were wrestled by his own restless subconscious into a personal artistic vision: Grandiose, intoxicating, and sui generis, it blends passionate storytelling from Ireland, Mali and America, raw power-jamming jazz/rock guitars, shape-shifting improvisations, dense soundscapes, funked or punked up drum and bass grooves and complex, and dancing polyrhythms.

Brewed by Noon's newest lineup reflects the next generation of New York jazz musicians that feature Aram Bajakian (Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Mat Maneri, Calvin Weston, Billy Martin), and Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz has recorded and performed extensively on John Zorn's Tzadik label, (Ravi Coltrane, Marc Ribot, Kenny Wollesen, Joey Baron, Anton Fier, Eric Friedlander, Mark Feldman, Bill Laswell, and John Zorn). The Spring 2010 tour will share all new music that will be featured on the next album.

Sean has developed into a skillful band-leader, something in the eccentric tradition of Sun-Ra, rallying his band-mates in his boxer's robe, or showing
up to rehearsal in the Russian gangster look he's been cultivating of late (mono-color tracksuit, big chains, sunglasses), infusing his style and ideas into the music, directing an eclectic group of musicians from a variety of different cultures. Through his unique persona, the sincerity of his ideas and - more than anything - his stunningly original music, Sean has managed to put together a band in Brewed by Noon has managed both generations and cultures.

"Bruises, a torn eyebrow and blood dripping from your nose: that's what you
are left with once drummer Sean Noonan is finished with you. It feels
wonderful." - de Volkskrant (NL)

The New York Times:

SEAN NOONAN'S BREWED BY NOON

The drummer and composer Sean Noonan approaches postmodern jazz and world music from the same angle of self-discovery. On his new album, "Stories to Tell" (Songlines), Mr. Noonan, attempts to braid together the Celtic balladry of his ancestors with the various traditions of West African griots, Southern bluesmen and downtown-scene alchemists. Because it's all music he feels, the results mostly sounds unforced. Of course it helps that his collaborators include a Senegalese bassists (Thierno Camara), an Irish folk singer (Susan McKeown) and a prominent Malian griot (Abdoulaye Diabate).

Also in the mix are a couple of marquee avant-garde improvisers, the guitarists Marc Ribot and the violists Mat Maneri. Brewed by Noon - the whole crew, and ultimately a few more players - participated in Mr. Noonans's fusion quest, which he financed through a commission from the American Composers Forum. At times the work is unimaginable without their contributions. "Esspi" is a vocal feature for Mr. Diabate, who is largely responsible for its discursive melody; on "Urban Mbalax" he compellingly trades verses (in his Bambara) with Mr. Camara (in Wolof). "Noonbrews" features a more liberal approach; Ms. McKeown sings its opening section in Gaelic, buy over a West African ostimato that gradually gives in to a gale of distorted electric guitars. Mr. Noonan is by no means the first jazz composer to draw these onnections-in some ways "Stories to Tell" resembles a caffeinated version of Bill Frisell's 2003 album "The Intercontinentals" (Nonesuch) - but he manages to make his pieces speak coherently, and in a unified voice. With luck he'll pull off the same effect tomorrow night with an ensemble including all of teh artists mentioned above, as well as the guitarist Aram Bajakian, his longtime musical partner, and the bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, a pioneer of electric free-funk.
-- NATE CHINEN

What comes after ¡°fusion¡± ? The brewing process maybe. Sean Noonan's New York includes West African, Irish, and Armenian friends, musicians and storytellers. It is no wonder that his music is equally steeped in global flavor.

Brewed by Noon is a fermentation of wandering folk music from the New York progressive jazz scene. Sean Noonan's goal is to adapt folklore into a modern jazz context, merging storytelling and folk music from the Bardic and Griot traditions. Like old wine in new bottles, his mission is to ultimately understand and preserve these ancient traditions by re-interpreting folklore from a modern perspective.

Sean has developed as an astute band-leader, something in the eccentric tradition of Sun-Ra, rallying his band-mates in his boxer's robe, or showing up to rehearsal in the Russian gangster look he's been cultivating of late (mono-color tracksuit, big chains, sunglasses), coalescing his style and ideas into the music, directing an eclectic group of musicians from a variety of different cultures. Through his unique persona, the sincerity of his ideas and - more than anything - his stunningly original music, Sean has managed to put together a band in Brewed by Noon that bridges both generations and cultures.

THE RHYTHMS OF SEAN NOONAN MAKE YOU LONG FOR MORE
de Volkskrant (NL)
October 3 2008
Bruises, a torn eyebrow and blood dripping from your nose: that¡¯s what you are left with once drummer Sean Noonan is finished with you. It feels wonderful. The New Yorker, posing in a ring with robe and gloves on his new cd Boxing Dreams, is a charming exciting type. Like a cross between stand up comedian Jochem Myer and an angry rat from a cartoon, he relentlessly knocked out both the audience and his bandmembers last Wednesday in Paradox, Tilburg. Bare feet and in boxershorts.

It went on and on and on, presenting a unique and utterly focused musical brew of (among others) African rhythms, urgent improvisations and a fair doses of Jimi Hendrix rock. Polyrhythm and irregular grooves are popular among improvising ensembles these days, but rarely it sounds so un-academic as it does with Noonan. It¡¯s because of his natural/self-evident playing techniques, filled with subtle accents but easy to follow.

On top of that, Brewed By Noon is a carefully selected group of musicians, just as unconventional as they are appealing. The imperturbable basslines of Jamaaladeen Tacuma are like a warm wall to lean against, guitarist Aram Bajakian defines the mood in a virtuosic way. But the ultimate stimulate comes from Malian percussionist and vocalist Abdoulaye Diabate. His lines move between those of the dominating western harmonies, they are powerful and unshakeable. It made you long for more. And the frighteningly genius noise guitarist Marc Ribot wasn¡¯t even there. He will join the band for the concerts in Utrecht and Amsterdam.
4 stars out of 5.
KOEN SCHOUTEN