CD Review: Noah Haidu, Buster Williams & Billy Hart: "Slowly: Song for Keith Jarrett"

Today I have the pleasure of reviewing a beautiful new Jazz Trio CD from Noah Haidu honoring the memory and spirit of Keith Jarrett.  Noah features two wonderful musicians, Buster Williams on Bass and Billy Hart on Drums.  The combination of Noah's sensitive Jazz piano performance and his seasoned and talented rhythm section makes this CD a delight to hear. Keith Jarrett's approach to standards is a difficult goal for any pianist to achieve but Noah Haidu's long personal connection with Keith Jarrett's performances allows him to hit the target perfectly.

Jarrett's music carries great personal meaning for Haidu.  "My father and I had a tradition of going to hear Jarrett together for several years running.  My dad (who was largely responsible for introducing me to Jazz) passed away a week before Keith's final concert.  No one knew at the time of the concert that it would be Keith's final performance". 

Of his relationship to Jarrett's music Haidu says "I've never thought of myself as a pianist who plays like Keith.  However, his work has increasingly influenced my trio's approach in the last few years.  I'm getting  back to playing ballads, standards and increasingly find my own voice on standard repertoire.  That evolution has been inspired by Jarrett who plays standards with complete authenticity, never sounding like anyone else on this music."

There is one more quote from Haidu that I thought is very enlightening for any up-and-coming musician.   "These songs have a certain simplicity.  There's not a lot of pyrotechnics, everything depends on the band interaction,  you can't hide behind a complicated form or wild rhythms.  You have to make a statement, and everyone has to breathe together in the music".  This is sage advice for any Jazz trio!

Noah Haidu is an extremely talented musician and is also an excellent composer and arranger.  I am sure we will be hearing a lot more from him in the coming years!

I have attached two cuts from the CD that were posted on "YouTube".  The first is a stunning performance of the golden standard "But Beautiful" and the second is a song Noah composed "Slowly".  Both will give you a full example of Noah Haidu's musical talents.

                                             

                                                                             "But Beautiful"

                                                                        
                                                                                   "Slowly"

CD Review: Billy Test Trio, "Coming Down Roses"

 

Today I have another treat for Jazz fans of a Jazz Piano Trio.  Billy Test is a talented and creative young Composer, Arranger and Educator.  While still young, Billy has an amazing resume that includes holding the piano chair with the Grammy Award Winning WDR Big Band in Koln, Germany since 2018.  Billy is an alumnus of the Jazz studies at William Paterson University in New Jersey.  He also was awarded his master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music.  He has won many musical awards including being a finalist in the American Pianists Awards and second place in the 2017 Montreal Solo Piano Competition.  

Billy's piano playing and composing blends the Jazz emotions of joy, sorrows and Blues perfectly and incorporates his classical background skills to produce fresh improvisations and wonderful compositions.

Joining Billy on "Coming Down Roses" are two seasoned pros who have been playing together as a trio since 2018.  Evan Gregor is on Bass and Ian Froman is on Drums.  The trio was formed in 2018 and has developed a  close musical relationship.  The focus of the trio has been on performing Billy's original compositions along with lesser-played songs from the "Great American Songbook".  This is Billy Test's debut as a bandleader.

I have attached two YouTube videos for your listening pleasure.  The first is a fresh approach to the Cole Porter standard "All Of You".  The second is a Billy Test original and the title tune from his CD, "Coming Down Roses".  I know you will enjoy this CD and I expect we will be hearing a lot more from The Billy Test Trio.

PLAYLIST:

1. All of You

2. Spinning

3. Fate

4. Hardly

5. Empty Spaces

6. Coming Down Roses

7. The Prince

8. Mother's Day with Freud

9. Belonging

PLAYERS:

Billy Test- Piano

Evan Gregor-  Bass

Ian Froman- Drums

 

 

                                                                        "All of You"

                                                               " Coming Down Roses"