Copland and company do not miss a beat, picking up four years after Haunted Heart with the similarly styled Some Love Songs. Again, the pianist mingles original ballad compositions with tried and true standards presented with somewhat darker hues than most ballad interpretations. Copland favors a nervous undercurrent in his performance, usually manifest in his anxious right hand. After a romantic reading of Joni Mitchell's "Rainy Night House" from her Ladies of the Canyon (Reprise, 1970), Copland gets his abstract freak on in the Copland his original "Round She Goes," where the Copland establishes a a tense figure over which he and bassist Gress play an angular melody that gives way to on of Gress' most fully realized solos. Copland then solos, dovetailing out of Gress' complex figures into some of his own. Ruchert establishes some quiet poly- rhythms that help move the song along. Copland and Gress laydown a repeating figure over which Ruchert solos. The arrangement is most effective. Richard Rodger's "Glad to be Unhappy" is given length consideration and uses the same Copland-Gress double-team on Ruchert's solo.

The "Spartacus Love Theme" is carefully developed in such a manner that it is more introspective than Bill Evans' performances (if that is possible). Copland rigorously adheres to the song form while stretching and condensing time in the song. He does likewise with Wayne Shorter's classic "Footprints," where all three musicians sound as if they have abandoned one another in search of Shorter's illusive melody. Postmodern and completely up-to-date contemporary. The disc closes with Victor Young's "My Foolish Heart" given sumptuous treatment by the trio. The song's skeleton is laid bare and the underlying currents of melody and harmony fully exposed. Gress provides the swing push to the song, which is maintained by Ruchert. Copland, for his part, weaves magic out of thin air.

Marc Copland
Some More Love Songs
Pirouet Records
2012

Like Some Love Songs, its sequel Some More Love Songs presents seven selections beginning with a Joni Mitchell composition and closing with a classic one by Victor Young. The disc opens with a lengthy and spartan version of "I Don't Know Where I Stand" from Mitchell's 1969 recording, Clouds (Reprise). Young's "When I Fall in Love" perfectly mimics "My Foolish Heart" on the previous recording. In between are the old and new presented slightly brighter than the two previous recordings, but still the overall tone is crepuscular.

While a moratorium is possibly in order for performances of "My Funny Valentine," Copland makes a compelling case for further mistreatment of this jazz warhorse. While familiarity breeds contempt, familiarity is the touchstone of standards performance. It is useful to know what the song originally sounded like to appreciate what masters of the stripe of Copland. Gress sets up a medium-fast tempo with Ruchert, providing the pianist a disquieting environment to present the delicate melody not so delicately. This is the essence of modern standards interpretation.

These three recordings are of a ruminative music, quietly presented and thoughtfully conceived. The darkness of the performances is not so much intended as a foreboding as it is concentration: a testing of the boundaries of harmony and consonance. Copland, and his label made Bill Carrothers, are among the most underrated jazz pianists, who are proving that the jazz piano did not end with Bill Evans.

Tracks and Personnel

Haunted Heart

Tracks: My Favorite Things 1; Crescent; Dark Territory; Greensleeves; When We Dance; My Favorite Things 2; Soul Eyes; It Ain't Necessarily So; Easy to Love; Haunted Heart; My Favorite Things 3.

Personnel: Marc Copland: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Jochen Ruchert: drums.

Some Love Songs

Tracks: Rainy Night House; Round She Goes; Time Was; Glad to Be Unhappy; Spartacus Love Theme; Footprints; My Foolish Heart.

Personnel: Marc Copland: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Jochen Ruchert: drums.

Some More Love Songs

Tracks: I Don't Know Where I Stand; My Funny Valentine; Eighty One; Rainbow's End; I've Got You under My Skin; I Remember You; When I Fall in Love.

Personnel: Marc Copland: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Jochen Ruchert: drums.

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