Noah Howard facts for kids

Noah Howard playing his saxophone in 2008.

Noah Howard (born April 6, 1943 – died September 3, 2010) was an American musician. He was famous for playing the alto saxophone in a style called free jazz. This type of jazz music is known for being very creative and not always following traditional rules.

Early Life and Music Journey

Noah Howard was born in New Orleans, a city famous for its music. He started playing music from a young age in his church. He first learned to play the trumpet. Later, he switched to playing different types of saxophones, including the alto, tenor, and soprano.

He was a very innovative musician. This means he liked to try new things with his music. He was inspired by other famous jazz musicians like John Coltrane and Albert Ayler. Noah studied music with Dewey Johnson in Los Angeles and San Francisco. When he moved to New York City, he began playing with the well-known jazz band leader, Sun Ra.

Building a Career

Noah Howard recorded his first album as a leader in 1966. It was called Noah Howard Quartet. Later that year, he released another album, At Judson Hall. Both of these albums were released by ESP Records. Even though he was making music, he didn't get much attention in the United States at first.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Noah performed often in the US and Europe. He moved to Paris in 1968. In 1969, he played on albums by other musicians, including One for John with Frank Wright and Black Gipsy with Archie Shepp.

Noah also recorded his own album called The Black Ark. In 1971, he started his own record company called AltSax. He released most of his music through his own label.

Later Years and Global Sounds

In 1971, Noah Howard recorded an album called Patterns in the Netherlands. He played with musicians Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink. He moved back to Paris in 1972. Later, he lived in Nairobi in 1982. Finally, he moved to Brussels in late 1982. In Brussels, he had his own music studio and also ran a jazz club.

Noah continued to record music throughout the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he started exploring different music styles. He mixed his jazz with funk music and World music. This meant he used sounds and rhythms from different cultures around the world.

In the 1990s, Noah Howard returned to his original free jazz style. His music started getting more praise from critics. His last two albums, Desert Harmony (2008) and Voyage (2010), showed his love for world music. These albums were influenced by music from India, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Noah Howard passed away on September 3, 2010, at the age of 67. He died from a cerebral haemorrhage, which is a type of bleeding in the brain.

Images for kids

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  Noah Howard in 2008