Noah Haidu Releases Third Standards Album

Noah Haidu on the cover of his new Standards III album, standing between Gervis Myles and Charles Gould

Readers may recall that there was an interval of a little less than two years between the Sunnyside release of Noah Haidu’s Standards album and the release of Standards II a little over a year ago. Standards III was released this past Friday, and there is a bit more diversity in its content. Most of the album involves a new trio with Haidu on piano joined by Gervis Myles on bass and drummer Charles Goold. However, there are three tracks that see the return of Buster Williams and Billy Hart on those instruments, as well as two tracks with Lewis Nash on drums and one on which which Haidu plays his own “Slipstream” with Steve Wilson on alto saxophone and bassist Peter Washington.

In other words, the repertoire is not quite as “standard” as it has been in the past. Also, Haidu has shifted from Sunnyside to his own Infinite Distances label. However, if not all of the tracks are familiar, they are still as engaging as ever; and I rather enjoyed Haidu adding himself to the repertoire with “Slipstream.” The duration of the entire album is a little less than an hour, and there is more than enough diversity in both the tunes and the improvisations to satisfy any straight-ahead jazz listener.