Music | Jazz Musician
Mode for Noah
Noah Becker, 2023
Entour Records
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The original tunes Noah Becker has written and performed on his new record Mode For Noah have emerged not only from an interest in the classic recordings of the 1950s and 60s Blue Note era, but also an interest in folk and classical music of the world. Mode For Noah is Becker's third recording as a leader for Entour Records. Becker's first two releases on Entour featured guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and pianist George Colligan, whose collaborations left a lasting imprint on Becker's music. Aside from his many influences, Becker is a prolific and original composer who penned all of the music on this album with an original concept and distinctive musical style.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1970, Becker’s family moved to Canada. Becker first moved to New York City from Canada in 1997 but never lost touch with the music and musicians of the Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia areas. Eventually living and touring on both coasts and in Europe, Becker has opened up many new listeners and audiences for his music. In addition to his international reputation as a saxophonist, like Jason Moran, Becker also makes visual art.
On Mode for Noah, Becker has assembled the best young group of West Coast Canadian musicians to support Becker's musical vision. The compositions on Mode For Noah have been in development in Becker's working trio and quartet over the course of the past decade. The Becker tune "Canal Zone" was born from Noah's New York trio that features drummer Lamy Istrefi Jr. from Joe Lovano's Classic Quartet. On Mode For Noah, the song has been adapted for this quartet setting. Highlights of Becker's recent live performances have been as a sideman with David Murray live at the Village Vanguard, New York, NY; as a leader at NYC's Cafe Bohemia and in Vancouver for a sold-out concert at Frankie's Jazz Club. Other musicians Becker has played with on informal sessions are Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis and a host of other New York music stars of the last 20 years.
Album cover of Mode for Noah, 2023 (Entour Records 0003)
"I've performed and recorded with almost every great alto saxophonist from Gary Bartz to Lee Konitz. Noah Becker is certainly in that league of saxophonists."
— George Colligan, leading pianist and composer
"Noah Becker is a great writer of original music."
— Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitarist and composer
Album tracks:
Mode for Noah 5:40
Directions 5:29
Open Road 7:13
Chasing Dragons 5:46
Meeting Place 6:00
Canal Zone 5:23
August Moon 8:49
7 songs, 44 minutes
Genre: Jazz
Noah Becker, Alto Saxophone
Brent Jarvis, Rhodes Keyboard
Kosma Busheikin, Upright Bass
Graham Villette, Drums
All tracks written by Noach Becker
Recorded and mixed July 2023 by Brent Jarvis
Design by Jamie Breiwick, B Side Graphics