Marc Copland: Crosstalk

Label: PIROUET
Catalog: PIT3054
Format: CD

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

Talkin' Blues - M. Copland / Diary of the Same Dream - G. Osby / Ozz-Thetic - D. Weiss / Tenderly - W. Gross / Crosstalk - M. Copland / Slow Hand - M. Copland / Hey, It's Me You're Talkin' To - V. Lewis / Three Four Civilty - G. Osby / Minority - G. Gryce

He is an unusually productive musician, someone who always sounds new - Marc Copland. His previous CDs have been internationally praised. Born in Philadelphia in early 1948, this pianist's play may best be described as of the highest quality played with tremendous variety. Marc Copland: a musician who plays with authoritative grandeur and enormous flexibility. And now here is a quartet stocked with surprises. Here Copland plays together with alto saxophonist Greg Osby (born 1960), bassist Doug Weiss (born 1965), and drummer Victor Lewis (born 1950).This quartet is one of the international jazz attractions of the year; this is even more clear after listening to this CD. They call their collaborative CD "Crosstalk" - and it contains pieces loaded with intensive brilliance and self-composed clarity.

"Crosstalk" could be called "War of Words", or it could mean "simultaneous conversations"; if you concentrate on the channel of one instrument and then listen to the sounds of the other instruments, you might well come up with these terms. Both nuances make sense when it comes to this music, since the four musicians deliver a subtle sort of "cross-talk". Their jazz is permeated with keenly alert communication and lightning-fast, sensitive reactions. And within the respective voice of one of the musicians the voices of the others can always be clearly heard. And when it comes down to it, Copland, Osby, Weiss, and Lewis play here as if they play only in this quartet. It is a unique consonance, a refined musical "cross-talk".
The CD contains compositions from all four musicians, along with the two standards "Tenderly" and "Minority". What a wonderful gift to the listener - enthralling, passionate music that is surprisingly accessible. Fascinatingly unique: in different ways, that describes this quartet's musical world throughout this CD.

Price: $24.98