Student band NOIR has undoubtedly become a ubiquitous presence within the music scene at Lawrence University, where one could have caught recent performances from the band during the university’s 34th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. The name NOIR conveys a mystique equivalent to the way a “film noir” carries dynamism. The band’s themes are situated in an amalgamation of fatalistic lyricism, emotive sound and ambiguity.
NOIR’s frontman, senior Seckou Soumare, has been the sole facilitator of the band. For him, the band is his “baby.” He is its life force as an original founder along with his current bandmates, juniors Danny Glasco (trumpet), Luis Plaza (piano) and Quintin Fernandez (drums) and seniors Ben Lewis (bass guitar) and Josué Ríos López (guitar). Soumare’s first performance as NOIR was in the Sankofa house on April 28, 2023.
Soumare says that his first LUaroo was something that left an indelible mark on him. He states, “I don’t remember much of it. It was kind of a blur; I can remember the end — I still feel the energy of the performance.”
NOIR’s most recent performance took place Friday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. in the Diversity & Intercultural Center (D&IC). The performance was hosted by Tiny College Concerts, a “Lawrential play on NPR Tiny Desk.” The performance that night was intimate, as the room seemed enraptured with the band.
The evolution of NOIR is one from covers to original songs and music, Soumare joking that the band was somewhat “sick of doing” covers. For the band and Soumare, this particularly applies to NOIR’s frequent rendition of Black Pumas’ “Colors.” There is no surprise in the popularity of the song; it influenced the elements of NOIR’s trajectory of genres neo soul, rock, jazz, etc. Soumare claims that the band is infused with jazz, saying, “I’m in a band with a lot of jazz musicians, which comes out in the sound.”
While listening to Soumare sing, there is a deepness to his voice that reverberates and emotes. Soumare described his voice as having, “a lot of power and emotion,” stating, “I hope it cuts through the heart and soul.”
NOIR’s former guitarist senior Nathaniel Smith, now a close friend and social media manager for NOIR, describes NOIR as having a sense “of communication that is innate.” For the band to perform well, there is a need for synergy among bandmates. A level of care must be put into the act of performance, for egos must shine but also complement each other. Undeniably, there is a level of solipsistic belief that is associated with art, though Soumare and his bandmates seemingly leave that ego behind.
The venue is shared amongst the band members, as Plaza assists with song composition. Soumare states, “I lean on [Plaza] when it comes to creating songs.” Fernandez acts as a liaison for Soumare when it comes to performances, while Lewis and Lopez cement the group. Glasco’s trumpet embellishes, adding a dynamism to the band that keeps the audience on their toes. Soumare’s passion is fervent; he lists Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly” as an influence and a personally formative album for him. Recently, artists such as Doechii, Olivia Dean and Sampha have been inspiring Soumare in his creation of music.
For Soumare, he finds that the environment on campus is vital, stating, “I wouldn’t be anywhere I would be if I didn’t go to this school — the inviting nature of the Conservatory, the professors here and everyone” at Lawrence University allows for progress. Glasco makes this claim as well, saying, “I’m proud of our progress.”
Through the crowd, I could make out the after-show adrenaline and sweat perspiring from the faces of band members of NOIR. Anticipated from NOIR is an album where original songs such as “When the Lights are Off” should be available on streaming platforms from Spotify to Apple Music. There is no definite release date for the album, lending to the mystique of the band’s awaited debut.