Henri-Pierre Noel

Henri-Pierre Noel is an incredibly versatile musician who uses the piano in a very percussive and syncopated way, almost like a drum. This particular technique naturally brings disco and afro-funk elements into his unique brand of dance floor fusion.

On moving to Canada from his original home of Haïti, pianist and singer/songwriter Henri-Pierre Noel brought with him much of the tropical island’s influences. The Kompa Funk sounds of his homeland, along side contemporary North American jazz and disco, run throughout both of Henri’s albums recorded in the late 1970’s – Piano and One More Step. Both were released on very limited private presses and have since become holy grails of the back music scene.

Finest Moments

“Tailor made for the dance floor! An incredibly consistent album!” Craig Charles, BBC6 Music, UK

“It’s badass!” Huey Morgan, BBC 6Music (UK)

“Love it! A really good fusion, reminds me of pigbag in places.” Mr. Scruff, Ninja Tune, UK

The man himself is still playing in his adopted home of Montreal today, and having been introduced to Wah Wah 45s label boss Dom Servini by Canadian DJs Kobal, Moonstarr and Andy Williams, who were all keen fans of his early works, it became clear that Noel’s finest moments needed to be re-released and re-discovered by a new generation.

His story has since been profiled by Alexis Charpentier AKA DJ Alexis, in the world’s first TEDx talk on the culture of record digging.