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Marc Copland: Crosstalk

By Dan McClenaghan
April 5, 2011
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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

bass, acoustic
1935 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Peacock,

Drew Gress

bass
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Drew Gress) and drummers (

Paul Motian

drums
1931 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Motian,

Bill Stewart

drums
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">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 approach. Copland was also part of the highwire collective Contact—an all-star ensemble, with no star outshining any other—that produced the much-praised Five on One (Pirouet Records, 2010).

With the exception of Contact, which featured saxophonist

Dave Liebman

saxophone
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Liebman , Copland has been recording without a horn in the mix, in his leader outings of late. That changes with Crosstalk, a quartet effort where he teams with alto saxophonist

Greg Osby

saxophone
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Greg Osby, to form a vibrantly collaborative sound with a sharp and gleaming edge.

Where Liebman injected a wild, at times almost savage element to Contact's collective sound, Osby inserts a stinging, keening and more contained—if no less intense—mood to the music. Copland's music, in a piano trio mode, tends toward spaciousness and translucency, with an unhurried and often ruminative pace. With Osby in the mix—and this is obvious from the beginning, with the Copland-penned "Talkin' Blues"—a sense of urgency gets injected into the sound." And with drummer

Victor Lewis

drums
b.1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Victor Lewis and bassist Doug Weiss, there's more momentum and pop.

"Diary of the Same Dream," one of two Osby originals, explores a sharply abstract and surreal soundscape, an ominous journey through a off-kilter yet pellucid world. The band shifts into an agitated and fibrillating forward momentum on Weiss' "Ozz-thetic," leading into the lovely, but slightly dark-hued

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington vehicle, "Tenderly."

The Copland-penned title tune takes things up-tempo with some of the set's most energetic interplay, where an engaging melody features some delectably pretty comping by the leader, behind a gregarious bass solo. Lewis' "Hey, It's Me You're Talkin' To" adds a more focused mainstream mood to the set, sounding like something

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers could bite into. Copland and company close out with

Gigi Gryce

saxophone
1927 - 1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gigi Gryce's "Minority," boppin' hard in a high octane groove.

Every band Copland puts together has its distinctive sound. His group on the excellent Crosstalk is no exception; music with more fire and insistence than might be expected from listening to his piano trio outings.

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Track Listing

Talkin' Blues; Diary of the Same Dream; Ozz-Thetic; Tenderly; Crosstalk; Slow Hand; Hey, It's Me You're Talkin' To; Three Four Civility; Minority.

Personnel

Marc Copland

piano

Marc Copland: piano; Greg Osby: alto saxophone; Doug Weiss; bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Album information

Title: Crosstalk | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Pirouet Records

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