Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Marc Copland: Better By Far

Marc Copland: Better By Far

By Dan McClenaghan
April 17, 2017
View read count

Marc Copland got his start in jazz in New York City as a sometimes plugged-in alto saxophonist, working with drummer Chico Hamilton's Quartet, and releasing an overlooked album, Friends (Oblivion Records, 1973) featuring his own quartet. Then he went away, and came back as a pianist, and has since shaped himself into one of finest jazz piano guys around, an artist with a supple touch, a feel for intricately gorgeous melodies and a deep immersion into complex harmonies.

In 2015, after a fruitful career that shifted from one record label to another, Copland started his own Inner Voice Records, and offered up the maiden release, Zenith (2015), a quartet affair with

Ralph Alessi

trumpet
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Ralph Alessi on trumpet, with bassist

Drew Gress

bass
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Drew Gress and drummer

Joey Baron

drums
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Joey Baron rounding out the rhythm section.

The year 2017 finds Copland offering up his second release on the label, Better By Far, a reconvening the Zenith quartet. The music consists of three group improvisations, five Copland compositions, and a Thelonious Monk tune, "Evidence."

Two of Copland's most significant teamings over the years have been with guitarist

John Abercrombie

guitar
1944 - 2017

" data-original-title="" title="">John Abercrombie, and now with trumpeter Alessi. Where Copland's brush paints sound with a developed delicacy of touch, shimmering chords, and gorgeous, amorphous shapings, Alessi uses brighter colors and sharper edges. Especially edgy are the group improvisations, like "Mr. DJ," that opens with Baron's soft drum whispers, joined by Alessi's stabs of metallic notes, Copland's percussive ruminations. "Twister" is a more fluid, more introspective, darker-toned piece that builds momentum along the way.

Speaking of dark tones, the Copland-penned "Gone Now," has a pensive, melancholy mood similar to that of Gershwin's "Gone, Gone, Gone," from the masterpiece, Porgy And Bess (1938).

"Room Enough For Stars" floats. It's a beautiful ballad like only Copland can write, featuring Alessi in a patient laying down of the melody, and a piquant bass turn by Gress; while Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" finds the group in a more playful mood—an energetic romp that stretches the Monkian angularity with an appealing malleability.

With Better By Far Marc Copland and Company continue to create the highest level of jazz.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Day And Night; Better By Far; Mr. DJ; Gone Now; Twister; Room Enough For Stars; Evidence; Dark Passage; Who Said Swing?

Personnel

Marc Copland

piano

Marc Copland: piano; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Drew Gress: bass; Joey Barron: drums.

Album information

Title: Better By Far | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Innervoice Jazz

PREVIOUS / NEXT

IZA
< Previous

IIII+IIII
Next >

Marc Copland Concerts

Sep 17 Wed

Marc Copland Trio

Bar Bayeux
Brooklyn, NY

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.