Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Noah Becker: Mode for Noah

Noah Becker: Mode for Noah

By Jack Bowers
March 12, 2024
View read count

Alto saxophonist

Noah Becker

saxophone, tenor
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Noah Becker guides a splendid trio of western Canadian sidemen through their paces on Mode for Noah, which consists of seven of his original compositions.

Becker's music is glossy and well-balanced, as are his solos, which, to his credit, do not quickly bring to mind any of his contemporaries. He plays mostly without vibrato, like

Lee Konitz

saxophone, alto
1927 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Konitz or

Paul Desmond

saxophone, alto
1924 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Desmond, among others, but without their singular voice or peerless artistry. Becker is simply quite good at what he does, whether writing or playing, which can be said of a large number of present-day musicians. To put it another way, even though Becker plays well, there is nothing in his arsenal to set him above or apart from many other first-class musicians.

Having said that, Mode for Noah (also the album's opening number) is consistently bright and engaging, thanks in part to Becker's supporting cast who provide sturdy backing throughout. Among the more pleasant surprises is

Brent Jarvis

piano
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Brent Jarvis who plays Fender Rhodes on every number and is always impressive. Bassist

Kosma Busheikin

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Kosma Busheikin and drummer

Graham Villette

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Graham Villette also pull their weight, giving the quartet solidity and consonance.

There is not much to say about Becker's themes aside from the observation that they are pleasant enough without leaving any lasting impression. Faint praise, perhaps, yet far more positive than its opposite—which is an apt description of the album as a whole. Nothing approaching exceptional, perhaps, and yet nothing that is tiresome or displeasing either.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Mode for Noah; Directions; Open Road; Chasing Dragons; Meeting Place; Canal Zone; August Moon.

Personnel

Noah Becker

saxophone, tenor

Brent Jarvis

piano

Kosma Busheikin

bass

Graham Villette

drums

Album information

Title: Mode for Noah | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Entour Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Lift
< Previous

Vijay Iyer and Friends Pay Tribute t...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.