Growing up in northwest Connecticut, Noah was equidistant from NYC and Boston and enjoyed the best of both worlds.
"I went to grade school in Canton which was a bit of a podunk town, and I didn’t have many friends there. This gave me ample time to practice all day long, and listen to my parents’ diverse music collection. I owe everything to my parents for offering me incredible opportunities while growing up, such as private lessons (locally, as well as driving me down to NYC), purchasing me the instruments I still play on today, and even moving to a nearby town, West Hartford, so I could be a part of their prestigious public high school’s jazz band and get a better education. My Mom plays a little piano and my Dad doesn’t play at all, but they both are hip to what’s going on and know who’s who on the scene, often suggesting records to check out and even players I’d never heard of before."
Noah's singular focus in pursuing music was evident from early on in his grade school years.
"When I was about 11 or 12 years old, I had a conversation with my parents where I told them this is what I was going to exclusively focus on. At that point I gave up most of my other extra-curricular activities and buckled down, practicing 6-8 hours a day. I developed the method of finger practicing, which has proven helpful as I got older; this allows me to practice in my head all day long, without needing the physical instrument."
Feeling apprehensive about the bright lights of NYC, Noah chose to first attend the New England Conservatory of Music.
"It could be the part of me that’s introverted, but I didn’t want to get lost in the sea of people, buildings, streets, venues, gossip, etc. It was just too much, even though I had previously spent lots of time there seeing music and visiting family."
"I moved to NYC the day after I graduated college. While in college, I’d made my first recording with a bucket list group ["Dry Bridge Road" which included guitarist Ben Monder, pianist Frank Kimbrough, trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist John Hébert, and drummer Ted Poor] and I just wanted to play with more people that inspired me like that. Most of all, I just wanted to be a band leader which required finding players that felt similarly about music as I did. No better place in the world than NYC for that!"
Taking these bold risks has become integral to Noah, both in day to day life and how it's reflected in his musical style.
"I’ve found it necessary to get that dose of adrenaline on a regular basis and fortunately I’ve been able to find it in different ways. When I moved to NYC I wanted to quit smoking, so I took up boxing. My grandfather nicknamed me Rocky as a kid and I loved the idea of fighting as a sport, so I trained and sparred for the next 7 years. Over the years I’ve ridden motorcycles, gone skydiving and challenged myself with risky adventures which I believe comes out in my musical attitude and voice. This is my path and I hope the listener can hear how it’s different than others."
During the pandemic, Keyed Up! and Jazz Generation have partnered with Noah and virtuosity music to facilitate a weekly live stream.
"I’ve been able to co-lead a live-streaming gig in Boston with drummer Tyson Jackson at a beautiful store called Virtuosity Music (Virtuosity is across the street from Symphony Hall and directly between NEC and Berklee). It’s definitely given me the needed fix to play with other people during the pandemic and I’m very grateful to my friend, Rob Duguay, and the rest of the Keyed Up!/Jazz Generation team for getting players in Boston working."
"I have a new record coming out in early 2021 that's a duo with bassist Kim Cass. We’ve been recording it remotely for months and I’m really excited and proud of the project. I had a trio record planned with guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Dan Weiss, but it’s postponed until we can record safely together."
In Lockdown, Noah has enjoyed many ups and downs during the quarantine.
"I recently started teaching at Longy School of Music of Bard College, which is a really inspiring community to be a part of. I'm always looking for new music to inspire me but Coltrane and 90's Rock are staples forever. I’m grateful for my wife, who has been able to keep me grounded, focused and has given me tons of support. We also recently adopted a dog named Xena, which now rounds out our fur-child family (Chipie is our cat)."
"I’ve known Keyed Up!’s Rob Duguay for over a decade, so I’ve gotten to witness the organization grow and Rob’s hard work and vision for a long time. I’ve played gigs in NYC that were supported by Keyed Up! over the years and words simply can’t express how meaningful their support is for the community - not just for the players themselves, but also as experiences for the people listening and watching."
You can catch Noah streaming live on Monday nights, 7:30 on the Virtuosity facebook page.
Photo - Anthony Porcar Cano
