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Sean Noonan: A Drum Set Sensation Brewed by Noon - "Tribal rhythms by an Irish griot" is how Brewed By Noon leader/percussionist Sean Noonan describes the band. "Griot" describes a West African poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. Combining progressive jazz (Weather Report and Miles Davis [Bitches Brew era]), African tribal rhythms and stories (Fela Kuti and Paul Simon's Graceland) mixed with some Irish lyrics and attitude and you have the basis for Brewed By Noon. Born in Brockton, Massachusetts and a Berklee College graduate, Noonan is a longtime veteran of both aforementioned musical styles. He has played with both Thierno Camara's West African Waaw Band and with the jazz-punk trio, THE HUB. After recovering from a near-fatal car wreck in Italy during 2003, Noonan decided his next project would combine his two musical loves of Jazz and African rhythms.
By the summer of 2004, Brewed by Noon was born. Joining Noonan was bassist/vocalist Thierno Camara, and guitarists Aram Bajakian and Jon Madof, who recorded the groups debut self-titled album during this period.
The album reflects a diverse melting pot of artists from around theworld - Ireland, Mali, Senegal, Liberia and Armenia." Noonan explains "Essentially, I produced the album, but Thierno Camara was heavily involved and would consult with me. Our goal was to get maximum potential out of each artist. I do consider [that] I did all the hard leg work by obtaining a commission from the American Composers Forum, conceived the compositions, directed the rehearsals, chose and consulted with the musicians and finally decided the arrangements. An important thing that I learned was to be decisive and be able to direct and coach people but not force ideas on them. I told everyone to 'just let the music come out - don't look back'. Also, I'd tell them 'we are going to be taking a lot of musical pictures,' and then decided what works and orchestrated it." It turns out that the tracks 'Esspi' and 'Pineapple' are amongst Noonan's favorites on 'N.Y.' with each having a specific lyrical meaning. "'Esspi' is about a baby elephant that leaves his mother and wanders into the forest getting lost. [Singer] Abdoulaye Diabate asks why the baby left his mother without saying goodbye. 'Pineapple' is a love song that is about two people who just meet each other. It's kind of sexy and romantic." With two albums now under their belt, Brewed by Noon appears to be gaining momentum. Noonan agrees "I really want to keep exploring my concept of 'brewing' people, original ideas/concepts and cultures, since I believe it is my mission. I've become very attached to the people I work with. Sometimes I dream about them and have visualizations of what they will do with my music. This record is just a platform presenting many different themes and formulas. I want to dedicate a record to each theme and to tell stories with my music. To learn more about my Gaelic roots and brew it with West African music and improvisation. I also want to explore and create new dimensions to my electro-acoustic drum set and utilize electronics in a way that compliments but challenges my approach to the drums." Truly a heady brew indeed.
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May 2012 |
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"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 .... he relentlessly knocked out both the audience and his band members." "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 " ....he succeeds at bridging the gap during the preponderance of these fascinating arrangements, constructed upon a multicultural array of cadences. Here, jazz vernaculars and birthrights are fused into a bold and beautiful chain of musical events, often enamored with vigor and finesse." www.ejazznews.com "Stories to Tell," the new album by drummer Sean Noon's group Brewed by Noon, is a funky feast of music .....bursting with talented musicians and interesting sounds ...." All About Jazz New York "Drummer Noonan's notion of conflating 'bardic and griot traditions' has juice. The Celtic tunes and African grooves retain their singularity, even when surrounded by flashes of fusion." The Village Voice " ...a record that very much pursues Noonan's vision, complex and twisted as it is, and there can be beauty in the chaos ....it's a record that demands attention from your ears and brain, one that falls outside any definition - which is a good thing." All Music Guide "If you're in the mood for a far-reaching sonic smorgasbord, here's your ticket." New Music Box "A mind-bendingly diverse blend of West African song forms, Gaelic folk melodies, urban funk rhythms, blazing electric guitars and raucous Downtown free jazz Noonan's eponymous ensemble is as multifaceted as post-moderism gets ....a compelling listen." www.allaboutjazz.com "A high watermark for contemporary progressive jazz" www.midwestrecord.com " ...clever, tuneful and celebratory - and more often than not, it just plain rocks." Time Out New York |