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Michael Marcus’
custodianship of more arcane reed instruments such as manzello and stritch does not
distract from the intelligence in his playing. Speakin’
Out offers 10 pieces performed solo and without overdubs, with Marcus playing B-flat
and bass clarinets, saxello and, acknowledging contemporary eccentricities, straight alto
and tenor saxophones (championed by Joe Lovano, they resemble larger versions of the
common soprano saxophone). Holding to one horn for each track, he illustrates the
distinctive sound of each while plumbing his own invention, the result being a twofold
effect. “Zone Tones” and “Journey in Cardamon” are consecutive tracks
for straight tenor and alto respectively, and while both instruments have a lighter weight
in the higher range, Marcus is all over them in the best way, with ideas and momentum to
do the work of the missing rhythm section and fill just enough of the space created by
their absence. His extemporizations on B-flat clarinet (“Beyond Our Horizon”)
and the soprano-like saxello (“Zebra Finch”) are models of tone control as well
as ideas. |
Coda
Issue 309 Randal McIlroy |
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Drimala is a small label dedicated to
documenting some of the more interesting jazz artists out there. Michael Marcus’ Speakin’
Out is a perfect example. Over the course of ten tracks, the New Yorker demonstrates
his range on a variety of woodwinds, all played solo. New Earth (for Jimmy Giuffre)
is played on Bb clarinet. His tone is rich and woody as he starts out. Then he moves to
the upper registers where he adds an edge. All the while there is a great sense of melody
to his playing. Zone Tones is for straight tenor. Much like his clarinet, the sound
is full bodied. He tends to keep the pace slow, unwinding his notes rather than throwing
them out like a tornado. Over the course of nine minutes he holds your attention. The same
is true of Journey In Cardamon, played on straight alto. The tone is higher, and in
the upper registers has some of the nasal quality of a soprano sax. Again, the pace is
measured, letting the timbre of the instrument resonate through the notes. At times he
unleashes a flurry approaching the sound of Evan Parker, but it’s not a sustained
whirlwind of notes like the Englishman.
Speaking Out is another piece for straight tenor. Here he introduces
little melodies that he repeats and varies. This adds to the sense of the familiar. The
aptly titled Zebra Finch introduces the saxello, which has the tone of a deeper
sounding soprano sax. Here he lets loose more with a fluttering of notes, little groups
interspersed between longer tones. The effect is much like that of birds chattering. Cornfeed
is played on bass clarinet. This is such a rich and wonderful instrument that is often
ignored in jazz. The late Eric Dolphy was one of the early pioneers with it, while
Englishman John Surman has made it a mainstay on many of his recordings. Marcus has a
warm, dark tone played over a sort of boppish melody that he repeats in between his
improvisations. The whole piece is very lyrical. The album closes with Next Earth
for Bb clarinet. Again, Marcus’ tone is the thing here. He produces such a rich and
woody sound. Very beautiful.
Michael Marcus ably demonstrates his mastery of a wide
range of horns. While they all have similarities, he knows the subtleties of each and
brings them out to produce a very enjoyable recording. If you’re looking for
something different, yet accessible, run out and find this CD. I can’t recommend it
enough. |
Jazz Review Michael
Bettine |
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Michael Marcus è un sassofonista
noto in Italia per le sue incisioni con la Soul Note e la Justin Time canadese (almeno, This
Happening il duo con Jaki Byard è da citare). Dopo i due trii - Live in N.Y. e
Blue Reality - firmati con il produttore Flavio Bonandrini Marcus ha 'scoperto' in
patria, per la Drimala Records, la dimensione del solo.
Diciamo subito che si tratta di un disco notevole, sia come concetto che per
i temi e gli assoli, sempre espressivi. Il suo pronunciato senso del blues traspare in
ogni nota, così come la sua capacità di rendere facile all´ascolto le sue complesse
improvvisazioni. È un solista che ha la capacità di comunicare al pubblico (un´aspetto
che gli è rimasto dai tempi in cui suonava in bands di rhythm ´n blues sulla West Coast)
anche nella dimensione del solo: Speakin´ Out è un album che si ascolta tutto di
un fiato.
Questa volta Marcus adopera anche il clarinetto, da
lui padroneggiato senza sbavature. Agli strumenti su cui è solito suonare - il sax alto e
il sax tenore diritti e il saxello - si esibisce con la consueta perizia su temi di ottima
fattura: "Journey in Cardamon" e "Zone Tones" rispettivamente al sax
alto diritto e al sax tenore diritto sono due composizioni molto interessanti, così come
le improvvisazioni che seguono.
A parte la costruzione dei soli, sempre perfetti,
bisogna anche riconoscere a Marcus un´ottima scelta dell´ordine dei brani e della
relativa successione di strumenti. L´impressione generale che ne risulta è di un´opera
concepita e realizzata con molta cura e che resta, fino adesso, fra le migliori cose del
sassofonista americano. |
All About Jazz
Italy Vittorio
Lo Conte |
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Not very well known outside the jazz
scene of New York, Michael Marcus has, even so, a very envied curriculum: he has worked
with great names like Jaki Byard, Sonny Simmons, Billy Higgins, Joe Henderson, Ken
McIntyre, Grachan Moncur and Ted Daniel. This solo record has, in consequence, all the
sense, since it becomes clear all his know-how and inventively. Saxophonists with the
ability to play straight alto and tenor saxes, with the design of a soprano, using also
the very rare saxello, he's also an accomplished clarinet player, in the Bb and bass
variations
In this welcomed CD
is evident his concern about colorization and the exploration of the specific
characteristics of each instrument he plays, without fearing complexity and abstraction.
It's free alright, but it goes beyond any free jazz revivalism. And at the same time he
respects the tradition. If his unusual saxophones sound a bit "strange" but
don't convince in terms of the advantage of their physical difference, is with the saxello
and the clarinet that we feel him more loose, like in «Zebra Finch» and «New Earth (For
Jimmy Giuffre)», the best tunes here.
After hearing this solo production, a question
remains: why the hell didn't he "show" himself before? Is there so many
saxophone blowers with these capacities in the Big Apple? Allow me to doubt... |
Rui Eduardo Paes translation
by
Rui Paes |
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In his
liner notes to Michael Marcus’ new Speakin’ Out, Jon Morgan points out
that solo free improv albums are often called “difficult.” And despite
Morgan’s arguments to the contrary, that’s what a lot of them are –
difficult to make and difficult to listen to. The decision to record solo puts an enormous
amount of pressure on the musician, who has to constantly generate new ideas. And solo
albums just can’t feature the multidirectional craziness that many free jazz fans
treasure, unless they’re made by pianists or guitarists, or maybe drummers.
Multidirectional polyrhythms are no
bad thing, of course, but Speakin’ Out is that rare free jazz solo LP that
simply doesn’t need them. It’s extremely rare to hear a solo album this well
conceived and full-sounding – as Morgan rightly points out, Speakin’ Out
isn’t even close to sounding “difficult.” Marcus, mostly playing slowly and
carefully, never seems to run out of ideas, and I never seem to get tired of hearing them.
Marcus is often compared to Eric
Dolphy, and not just because he occasionally picks up a bass clarinet (Marcus also plays
Bb clarinet, saxello and alto and tenor saxophones here). Like Dolphy’s, Marcus’
lines often sound like bop phrases gone slightly askew. Bop is mostly improvised within a
fairly rigid (and complex) framework of rhythms and chord changes; it sounds as if Marcus
is impressed by bop’s easily discernable (though not easily learnable) logic, but
unwilling to let that logic completely define his boundaries. More contemporary (if only
because of Dolphy’s early death) reference points include Fred Anderson and Sam
Rivers, who aren’t really known for stretching the boundaries of their instruments,
but for playing free improv with bop-like phrasing.
And phrasing is indeed one of
Marcus’ greatest strengths – each line possesses the information he wants to
possess, and then it sounds as if it ends exactly when it’s supposed to. Then he
pauses for exactly the right amount of time. Nothing on Speakin’ Out is the
least bit rushed; the pacing is perfect, and Marcus’ rich tone, particularly on alto,
suits his unhurried style perfectly. The recording is also terrific – it’s got
just enough reverb to give Marcus’ music life while still capturing the details of
his playing. This album makes Marcus’ excellent work on Boxholder’s recent
Cosmosamatics record seem like just a teaser: Speakin’ Out ranks among the
smartest, loveliest solo albums I’ve heard in some time. Difficult? Hardly. |
Dusted Charlie
Wilmoth |
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It has been said that with a
solo woodwind album, it is difficult to sustain interest in the listener. That certainly
is not the case with Michael Marcus, who tackles the chore with unerring confidence and
yields a recording that documents the breadth of his improvising talent and continually
stimulates the senses. Marcus accomplishes this through several means, including his
innate feel for improvisation and rotating his many reeds (and thus his tonality and
projection) on each new tune, so that every song takes on a unique flavor. He plays the
two standard saxophones plus Bb and bass clarinet and the saxello, each of which portrays
a differing side of his creative personality.
A few of the selections are short exercises, but there are meaty endeavors
with substantial room to enable Marcus to stretch out and blow with determination. His
tenor and alto offerings fall into this category. He projects a smooth, seemingly
effortless tone that glides through space with the facility of an airship. His statements
are very personal. Marcus expresses deep meaning with each selection, and they signify a
highly emotional approach. There are no abrasive or explosive encounters. The songs have
rounded edges and evolve in fluid style, making the excursion extremely enjoyable. While
the alto and tenor saxophone could be considered his forte, Marcus displays considerable
skill and develops a unique sound on Bb clarinet. Three cuts feature the instrument,
including a dedication piece to Jimmy Giuffre. His bass clarinet playing is equally
engrossing, yielding deeply sonorous vibrations that contrast significantly with the
higher pitched horns that precede and succeed the selection. The sharper sounding saxello
produces yet another sound variant and a different way for Marcus to promote himself,
including his use of a trilling action that reverberates around in one's brain.
Regardless of woodwind, Marcus is capable of enlisting
one's attention and holding it throughout the recording. He expresses a plethora of ideas,
and each tune resolves to a natural conclusion after the flights of fancy have run their
course. The music simply pours from his horns, and the waves of inventiveness wash ashore
for all to absorb. The recording is a fine documentation of inventive reed playing. |
One Final Note Frank
Rubolino |
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Solo albums
by horn players are designed for highly specialized audiences. On
Speakin' Out, versatile reedman Michael Marcus works out on a number of
different horns on 10 originals, supplying a bit of innate variety to the
limited format. I love his sound on bass clarinet and on his
saxophones, especially in the rich lower ranges of the straight tenor, but
his playing all seems a little stiff and rhythmically variable, quickly
running out of steam on the longer tracks, like "Journey to Cardamon" (on
alto) or the title track (on tenor). Intermittently interesting, but
mostly surprisingly dull. |
IAJRC
Journal,
Summer/Fall, 2003 Stuart
Kremsky |
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Michael Marcus’ solo album impresses
with its brevity, talent, and architectural structure. The reed player certainly has the
chops: He performs on five distinct horns: the tenor and alto saxophones (each the
straight, version, as opposed to the conventional curved ones), clarinet, bass
clarinet, and saxello
While solo
albums rarely succeed fully because of the enormous demands on the listener and the
performer, the very talented Marcus often rises above these natural limitations to produce
some compelling and valuable work. Marcus’ key selling points are his enormous
self-discipline and pure tone. His solid technique lacks some of the
pioneering innovations developed by some of his peers such as Evan Parker and John
Butcher, and Marcus is much more a melodicist, which makes his music more accessible
but also diminishes its biting edge.
To his credit, he builds and releases tension easily
and effectively, as he shows on his well-known composition “Speakin’ Out"
where his altissimo interlude and restating of the melody create visceral excitement.
Sometimes, though, and even on this impressive title piece, he understandably has a little
trouble sustaining the high quality of his improvisation for the length of the tune,
resulting in a touch of self-indulgent, solipsistic bravado. Fortunately, that is the
exception, not the rule, and overall, this album is a solid contribution to Marcus’
discography.
3 Stars (good) |
All Music Guide
Steve Loewy |
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