Search - Marc Copland :: Softly

Look at who plays on this record

D. Bartholome | Highlands, TX USA | 03/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's on the cover, but in case you can't read it, Bill Stewart, Joe Lovano, Michael Brecker, Gary Peacock, and Tim Hagans play on this record. Now I suppose it's theoretically possible to make a bad record even with such great players, but you'd really have to try, I think. In any event, this is not a bad record. It's very strong, one of those records that grows on you and gets better with each listen.



One of the things I like about Marc Copland, in addition to his beautiful playing, is that he has an open mind about what songs jazz musicians "should" cover. He plays old standards (strikingly original versions of them) by Cole Porter and the like, but he plays Joni Mitchell and Marvin Gaye songs, too. (On this album he plays Porter's "I Love You" and "So In Love," but also Gaye's "What's Goin' On?" and Mitchell's "Blue.") In other words, he's not dogmatic about it; a great melody is a great melody, period. Copland is a strong composer in his own right, but this particular album features just three of his tunes.



If you are interested in modern jazz piano, and you haven't checked out Marc Copland, you really must."