Noah Franche-Nolan: Music-Making as Spiritual Practice cover art

Noah Franche-Nolan: Music-Making as Spiritual Practice

Noah Franche-Nolan: Music-Making as Spiritual Practice

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 Today we're putting The Tonearm's needle on pianist and composer Noah Franche-Nolan.Noah's latest album, Rose-Anna, is named after his Acadian great-grandmother, a church organist from Grand Falls, New Brunswick. The Acadians are French-speaking people with deep roots in Canada's Maritime provinces. The Acadians were expelled from their land by the British in the late 1700s and many of them migrated south to Louisiana where they became known by their more famous name, the Cajuns. Noah’s family connection runs deep through the record and he even plays organ on two tracks, honoring the woman who sparked his musical heritage.The album pairs him with bassist Jodi Proznick and drummer Nicholas Bracewell in a trio that displays deftness with groove-driven chops, tender hymns and free exploration. The music conjures thoughts of home, family, and what gets passed down through generations.Noah's also one half of Arid Landscapes, an ambient electroacoustic project with guitarist Dan Pitt, that takes a totally different approach—live looping, processing, and soundscapes that feel vast and open. My November 2024 talk with Dan for The Tonearm is linked in the show notes.Noah and I talk about both projects, his work as a church music director in Vancouver, and what it means to make music that honors the past while pushing into new territory.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Noah Franche-Nolan's album Rose-Anna)–Dig Deeper• Artist and Albums:Visit Noah Franche-Nolan at noahfranche-nolanmusic.com and follow him on InstagramPurchase Noah Franche-Nolan's Rose-Anna from Bandcamp or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceNoah Franche-Nolan on All About JazzVancouver Guardian profile• Arid Landscapes (duo with Dan Pitt):Arid Landscapes released September 2025, available on BandcampDan Pitt — official siteDan Pitt on BandcampBetween the Lines of Dan Pitt's 'Horizontal Depths' (The Tonearm)• Collaborators and Ensembles:Jodi Proznick — bassist, Noah Franche-Nolan TrioNicholas Bracewell — drummer, Noah Franche-Nolan TrioRaagaverse — JUNO-nominated Indo-jazz fusion quartet led by Shruti RamaniShruti Ramani — vocalist and bandleader, RaagaverseJaya (Raagaverse debut album) on BandcampNick Fraser — Toronto drummer and University of Toronto faculty; Noah's former teacher• Recording Labels:Cellar Music Group — Vancouver label founded by Cory Weeds; 2023 Grammy Award winnerCory Weeds — Cellar Music Group founder and artistic directorFrankie's Jazz Club — Vancouver jazz venue run by Cory Weeds (Rose-Anna release show venue)• Film Scoring:Häxan (1922) — Swedish-Danish silent horror essay film directed by Benjamin ChristensenThe Cinematheque — Vancouver independent film institute that commissioned Noah's live score for Häxan• Educational Institutions:Vancouver Community College (VCC) — where Noah teaches jazz pianoVSO School of Music — Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's school; Noah teaches in Jazz and Classical Theory/CompositionUniversity of Toronto, Faculty of Music — where Noah and Dan Pitt studied jazz• Venues and Spaces:The Tranzac — Toronto's not-for-profit community arts venue; central to the city's improvised music sceneBrentwood Presbyterian Church — Burnaby; where Noah serves as coordinator of musicking and where Arid Landscapes was partly recorded–Dig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate The Tonearm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. • Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of The Tonearm in your podcast app of choice. • Looking for more? Visit podcast.thetonearm.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Talk Of The Tonearm email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn. • Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
No reviews yet