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Noah Baerman: Soul Force

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LEMD-0501
Recorded in 2004
Released in 2005

Soul Force is Noah Baerman's fourth album under his own name, and the first to feature an ensemble larger than a trio. Trombonist Robin Eubanks and saxophonists Steve Wilson, Jimmy Greene, Wayne Escoffery and Claire Daly make up the horn section. Other guests include Amanda Monaco on guitar, Warren Smith on marimba and Tigger Benford on percussion, as well as percussionist Marcos Torres, III and guitarist Rebecca Koval, two teenaged musicians making their recorded debuts. Anchoring the band and joining Noah for several trio numbers are bassist Henry Lugo and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, the current members of Noah's trio. On Soul Force, these accomplished musicians help Noah to pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and message.

The soulful, eclectic material revolves around Noah's composing and arranging. The title track, which features Wilson and Eubanks, was premiered on Noah's 2005 "Piano Jazz" broadcast with Marian McPartland and doubles as a dedication to the recently departed pianist James Williams. "Montgomery, 1956" is an ambitious and programmatic piece for a 12-piece ensemble, while both "Washington, 1963" and "Memphis, 1968" explore whisper-to-a-scream dynamic contrasts. Noah's rousing Afro-Latin arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" leans heavily on percussion, as does "Satyagrahi," featuring Benford's tablas. More familiar tunes include Thelonious Monk's "Justice" (sometimes known as "Evidence"), and the spirituals "This Little Light of Mine" and "(Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me 'Round." As with the ideas and events that inspired the music, the expressive range of the music is broad, evoking delicate tenderness, gutbucket soul, unbridled passion and at times unsettling darkness. The cumulative effect is an exhilarating musical and emotional experience.

from Noah's liner notes:

While American society has in many ways evolved significantly since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to prominence, his ideas about equality, love and nonviolence are still incredibly relevant. I have high hopes that future generations will be able to view life before Martin Luther King in the way one now reflects upon life before Charles Darwin or Isaac Newton. For now, though, when the words "freedom" and "peace" can still be used to justify war and greed, Dr. King's righteous notions still need affirmation.

I created this album to celebrate Dr. King. While there is a chronological narrative (culminating with "Happy Birthday," Stevie Wonder's plea for a holiday recognizing Dr. King), this album is not meant to be a history lesson. This music is about emotion and spirit. Dr. King was a profoundly effective satyagrahi (practitioner of Gandhian nonviolent resistance), and in this context he used the term "Soul Force" to describe the antidote to physical force. "Nonviolent," of course, does not equal "passive." Quite the contrary, much energy, passion and perseverance are required to overcome prejudice and violence. Until Dr. King's dream has been fully realized, it is up to each of us to tap into our own "Soul Force" and, in the words of the spiritual "(Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around," "keep on walking, keep on talking, marching up to freedom land."