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Marc Copland David Liebman Duo: Impressions
by Raul d'Gama Rose
There is no telling what an imaginative musician such as saxophonist Dave Liebman might do if he were given the kind of room to maneuver--to let his soul soar free--as pianist Marc Copland affords him on Impressions. It is as if the pianist gifted the saxophonist with a very large and empty canvas for Liebman to paint a musical landscape. Liebman needs no further invitation to wander off into the ocean of undiscovered sound. The saxophonist assumes the persona of ...
Continue ReadingMarc Copland / John Abercrombie: Speak to Me
by Dan McClenaghan
Pianist Marc Copland and guitarist John Abercrombie played together for the first time in the 1970s, in drummer Chico Hamilton's group. This was when Copland was playing saxophone, before his seemingly unlikely but very successful switch to piano. Nearly forty years later, the two artists still find opportunities for musical hook-ups, contributing to extraordinary recordings like Copland's Another Place (2008) and Contact's Five on One (2010)--quartet and quintet offerings, respectively, and both for Germany's Pirouet Records. With Speak to Me, ...
Continue ReadingMarc Copland / John Abercrombie: Speak to Me
by John Kelman
Plenty of artists explore that most naked of musical couplings, the duo, but few have mined its intimate potential the way pianist Marc Copland has. Since 2003, the light-of-touch, impressionistically lithe pianist has put out no less than six duo records amongst the more than 15 albums he's released on half a dozen labels--though since 2007, with the exception of a couple reissues, he's remained steadfastly aligned with Germany's increasingly prestigious Pirouet label. Speak to Me isn't ...
Continue ReadingMarc Copland: Crosstalk
by Troy Collins
Pianist Marc Copland is widely admired for his harmonically astute writing, imaginative interpretations of standards, and sensitivity as a sophisticated soloist. The aesthetic foundation of Copland's expressionistic style can be traced to the poetic lyricism of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, and though the same could be said of many contemporary pianists, Copland's singular approach to the tradition sets him apart from his peers. The German Pirouet label has been copiously documenting Copland's oeuvre since 2005; his burgeoning ...
Continue ReadingMarc Copland: Crosstalk
by Dan McClenaghan
Rather than form a longstanding band that can soak up his musical vision over a period of years, pianist Marc Copland thrives in a universe of rotating players that keeps things fresh and spontaneous. On his three outstanding New York Trio Recordings, Copland switched bassists (Gary Peacock, Drew Gress) and drummers (Paul Motian, Bill Stewart), versatile players who are able to embrace--in their distinct ways--the subtle interplay and remarkably elastic give and take that are a big part of pianist's ...
Continue ReadingMarc Copland: Crosstalk
by John Kelman
After spending the early part of the 2000s in a recording spree that found him releasing as many as four albums each year on a variety of labels, Marc Copland has, since 2006, parked his piano with Germany's upstart Pirouet label. It's clearly been a fruitful pairing, with Copland releasing a variety of albums, in 2009 along releasing solo (Alone), duo (Insight, with bassist Gary Peacock) and trio (Night Whispers, the final installment of his New York Trio Recordings series). ...
Continue ReadingMarc Copland Trio: Haunted Heart
by John Kelman
Originally released in 2001, Marc Copland's Haunted Heart deserves re-examination and re-evaluation, as hatOLOGY brings one of the perennially undervalued pianist's most sublime trio recordings back into print. With the original subtitle--And Other Ballads--removed, those familiar with Copland's intimate approach will already know what to expect, especially with a trio that, in the early part of the 21st century, was Copland's most consistent line-up.Copland works less regularly with drummer Jochen Rueckert these days, but this first trio encounter ...
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