Noam Wiesenberg

Noam Wiesenberg is a bassist, arranger, and composer, currently based in Brooklyn. Lauded for his cinematic, textured compositions, Noam has performed around the world as a leader and in the bands of contemporary jazz luminaries such as Jeff “Tain” Watts, Antonio Sanchez, Ari Hoenig, Shai Maestro, Chano Dominguez, Immanuel Wilkins, Yotam Silberstein, and many more.

Noam released his debut recording Roads Diverge on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records in 2018 to praise from peers and critics alike. “Being about the power of choice and making choices, Roads Diverge shows enough assertiveness for us to conclude that Wiesenberg has made the right ones,” wrote JazzTrail’s Filipe Freitas.

"...his way with melody is as fun as his knack for clever arrangements... It all adds up to a very colorful debut full of promise and heart. Whatever roads Noam Wiesenberg chooses in the future, we should have great pleasure in hearing him tell all about them." (All About Jazz)

"...Wiesenberg is a strong, assured, and articulate bassist, and his exquisite writing and arranging make the beauty and vitality of his talents shine, providing a platform for the entire ensemble to declare the praises of this timeless music." (Cadence Jazz Magazine)

Noam's orchestrations and arrangements have received critical acclaim, and he has garnered commissions from ensembles across North America and Europe. Since 2013, he has been the musical director and strings arranger for the Camila Meza & Nectar Orchestra in New York. Reviewing his work for the ensemble's album Ámbar, jazz writer/critic Nat Chinen wrote, "elegant orchestration and direct emotional address find common purpose... The delicate drift of percussion and strings, in both arco and pizzicato modes, is the handiwork of bassist and arranger Noam Wiesenberg, who co-leads the Nectar Orchestra with Meza."

His extensive international work as an arranger also includes an arrangement for the Metropole Orkest with Grammy Award-winning singer Lalah Hathaway, conducted by Vince Mendoza, as well as serving as the arranger and musical director of a nonet project led by master drummer Ari Hoenig.

Noam offers instruction in bass and composition and has provided master classes at universities and private clinics across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

www.noamwiesenberg.com

Noam Wiesenberg: Roads Diverge

More than ten years ago, bassist/composer Noam Wiesenberg left Tel-Aviv and descended upon Boston (graduating Berklee in 2010, Magna Cum Laude in Jazz Performance), and eventually New York City, with the aspiration of playing alongside the world's greatest musicians. After many years of doing just that (with the likes of Camila Meza, Kevin Hays, Antonio Sanchez, Gilad Hekselman, Ari Hoenig, Billy Hart, Seamus Blake, Shai Maestro, Will Vinson, Uri Caine, Lage Lund, Dave Liebman and many others), the time has come to release his debut album, and his premiere as a composer and bandleader, Roads Diverge.

They say, "timing is everything". Making choices without fear of consequence can be daunting. And, in Robert Frost's famous poem "The Road Not Taken" the author stresses the importance of choosing the road less traveled. All of these factors played a significant part in the conception, production and delivery of the album you hold in your hands, Roads Diverge. "I think I have been hiding in other people's projects and music a little bit, and it feels good to make this choice for myself. I've never gone down the path of releasing my music before, so this is definitely a 'road less traveled' for me, but it feels like the right time to do it!" The album, featuring Noam Wiesenberg (bass, compositions), Philip Dizack (trumpet & FX), Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax, clarinet), Shai Maestro (piano/Fender Rhodes), Kush Abadey (drums), and special guest Dayna Stephens (tenor sax), will be released this May 18, 2018 on Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records.

"It has taken me a long time to internalize that the choice itself is what is important, the act of choosing rather than which choice to make. It is often better to choose the 'wrong' path than to remain still and safe. By making a choice you are making progress, for better or for worse, and you are allowing yourself to grow," said the bassist. "Taking the road less traveled is the only way to discover new territories, which is so true in many aspects of life, and especially when it comes to a life in jazz and improvised music. I wanted to draw attention to not only the 'roads' in this music, but also to the point where they diverge. This album is about the power of choice, and the power of making choices. This is a strong idea for me, both conceptually and personally, and I am filled with pride and joy over this project."