Pianist Noah Haidu sees a certain irony in his current recorded output. "I love composing but improvisation has always been my greatest passion. When I started releasing music in 2011 I relied on my songwriting to make a unique artistic statement, but I've come full circle and realized that finding my own voice on a simple, unadorned standard is a rare and necessary endeavor." Haidu embraced that endeavor on his 2023 release Standards, and on Standards II, due out April 12, 2024 on Sunnyside Records. The new album is a breathtaking masterpiece featuring Haidu with two of the music's most esteemed players, Buster Williams on bass and Billy Hart on drums. "With Standards II, I've committed to performing with my own Standards Trio as a regular part of my touring schedule, " Haidu says. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to build a voice in this canon, and for the amazing response from audiences on our recent tours. While I'm still composing my own music and continuing with various projects outside of the American Songbook repertoire, my Standards Trio is an important statement for me and an integral part of my identity as a musician."