Psychedelic Storytelling Improvisation duets with Matthew Bourne (UK)-analog keyboards/piano
Premiering daring new Noonan compositions in collaboration with Matthew Bourne’s virtuoso analog sound
Matthew Bourne -piano/keyboard (UK)
Sean Noonan – drum set vocals (US)
“Born to Brew” is a fermentation of shape-shifting improvisations, stories of minimalism and intoxication that wander through dense soundscapes. Like if Cecil Taylor and Samuel Beckett were out on a night of romance and in quest of a good bar fight.
Premiering daring new compositions that merge Noonan’s new Irish-American storytelling style improvised on the drum set. Pianist Matthew Bourne has a unique ability to create powerful imagery through an esoteric piano language that with spoken work creates a heady brew for sure. His particular brand of individuality and virtuosity, combined with an uncanny ability to communicate with his audiences makes his performances intense and highly personal experience. Bourne has performed with such artists as Franck Vigroux, Laurent Dehors, Marc Ducret, John Zorn, and Marc Ribot.
UK Review from Be-Bop Spoken Here
Sean Noonan’s Bourne to Brew @ The Bridge. March 13th
Sean Noonan (drums & vocals) v. Matthew Bourne (keyboards).
Noonan entered the ring clad in a hooded gold coloured boxing gown looking mean, focussed on the job ahead. Round 1! Noonan was to tell us a story; a fairytale, a Grimm tale, a nightmare tale. The New Yorker’s vocal style was akin to that of a performance poet delivering crazy lyrics with a wide-eyed stare into the abyss and then a wide-eyed stare into the soul of each and everyone present. This was Zappa, this was Beefheart, this was Dr.Chad, this was Zorn, this was Norman Bates and by the way…Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? He assured us that he was abandoned at birth and brought up by a coyote – I was tempted to believe him! Pecos Bill and Silke from the Sea were weird tales from Noonan’s vertile but weird imagination which can be heard on the CD Set the Hammer Free. A journey across a Bavarian landscape featured an appropriate comic touch from Bourne. There was a pause in Noonan’s storytelling to showcase some serious heavyweight improv from the duo in Improv Bouts and it produced some breathtaking playing from both musicians and it all but drew the breath of the audience. Noonan is a superb technician, so much so that he can juggle sight reading and invention with the humourous strand running through the material (instrumental and vocal). Drunken Landlady, supposedly inspired by Noonan’s Brooklyn landlady seeking ”favours”’ had the audience rolling in the aisles – funny that he now lives a travelling life away from the Big Apple. A heart felt finale was John Henry. This was another tale, a true tale, about the eponymous hero and his heroic efforts in challenging the introduction of the steamhammer and it produced yet more brilliance at the drum kit and keyboards. This was a memorable night for those with a sense of humour.