Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Marc Copland: Softly

Marc Copland: Softly

By Joel Roberts
July 1, 1998
View read count

One of the intriguing things about pianist Marc Copland is that he started out playing the saxophone and was enjoying a successful career on that instrument, including a stint with the Chico Hamilton Quintet and an album with guitarist John Abercrombie, when he decided to switch gears and take up the piano. And after several years of full-time study (and a name change), he was able to establish himself as one of the more exciting, innovative, and technically adept pianists on the New York scene.

On his new album on Savoy Jazz, Copland's excellent trio (with bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Bill Stewart) is joined by two superstar saxophonists, Michael Brecker and Joe Lovano, as well as up-and-coming trumpeter Tim Hagans. Copland and friends pair up in a variety of trio, quartet, and quintet settings on an interesting selection of mostly standards plus three fine Copland originals.

Copland's exceptionally fluid playing is marked by subtlety, economy, and an unusually sensitive touch. He shines on trio versions of "My Foolish Heart" and two Cole Porter tunes, "I Love You" and "So in Love." The album opens with an oddly metered, faster than usual take on Oscar Hammerstein's "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise," featuring impressive work from tenor giant Lovano on a song associated (at least in this writer’s mind) with John Coltrane.

Refreshingly, Copland also looks to the contemporary (well, at least the 1970s) pop world for material, although with mixed results. Joni Mitchell's "Blue" is presented in a moody, somewhat meandering version that never quite takes off. The slow funk take on Marvin Gaye's soul classic "What's Going On" is more successful, with a solid groove put down by the rhythm section and some nice turns from Brecker.

Personnel

Marc Copland

piano

Album information

Title: Softly | Year Released: 1998 | Record Label: Savoy Jazz

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Islands
< Previous

Creole Jazz
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.