A pair of releases with one of today’s overlooked greats, Marc Copland…
Impressionistic pianist Marc Copland teams up with longtime friend and drummer, the intuitive Joey Baron and bassist Drew Gress for a collection of intuitive and introspectively loose readings of jazz standards and Bill Evans-inspired originals. Of the latter, the 11 minute “Day And Night” features Gress’ pulsating bass solo along with Copland and Baron slowly building up the butanes to a rhapsodic climax, and Copland’s dainty digits dance around Baron and Gress on “Might Have Been.” An abstract read of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” pulsates with rich contemplations, and a moody “Afro Blue” slowly undulates.” The entire album has a pastel mooded atmosphere, with Baron giving almost subliminal messages through his sticks. Small and thin paint brushes used here.
Intimate and rich duets by bassist Daniel Schlappi and pianist Marc Copland make for deep ruminations that deliver rich themes and thoughts. What makes this session stand out is that Schlappi takes the lyrical lead on many of the pieces, delivering thick and messages on “All Of Me” and gently caressing the tangents of Scot LaFaro’s classic “Jade Visions.” Hints of Bill Evans are everywhere, not only in the LaFaro piece, but in the impressionistic flow of “Blue In Green” and the impressionistic intro and interplay by Copland on “Juno” and the cheerful gentility of “Day and Night”. The two flow like Astaire and Rogers on the pretty “Everything I Love” and get bluesy for a lurking “The Other Way Around.” A pair that pares down well.