Marc Copland

It doesn’t seem right to think of him as an elder statesman, but pianist and composer Marc Copland, now 73 years old, has been spinning out sounds like no other pianist since the mid-1970’s. His output as a leader is staggering: over 40 critically acclaimed CDs, in solos, duos, trios, quartets and quintets. The albums, recorded for over ten different labels, feature major jazz voices of the past and present: John Abercrombie, Ralph Alessi, Joey Baron, Mike Brecker, Randy Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Mark Ferber, Billy Hart, Dave Liebman, Victor Lewis, Joe Lovano, Greg Osby, Gary Peacock, Bill Stewart, Robin Verheyen, Ken Wheeler, and others. But if you were thinking of Copland as an older musician who has slowed down, stopped developing, and simply resting on his laurels---you couldn’t be more wrong. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” says saxophonist Robin Verheyen. “He’s an inspiration, coming up with new ideas and new sounds all the time. It’s the kind of energy and growth you’d expect from someone in the prime of their creative life. And he’s not only a major voice with such a distinctive sound and approach---you won’t find a better accompanist anywhere.” After years of recording for many of the world’s finest labels (Challenge, ECM, Hatology, \Nagel-Heyer, Pirouet, Savoy, Sketch, Soul Note, etc.), Copland took the plunge in 2016 and started his own label. The pianist’s foray into the record business has grown every year, bucking the general downward trend of CD sales. His latest release, John (illusions / mirage), has received Down Beat magazine’s “Editor’s Pick”, CHOC from Jazz Magazine (France), “CD of the Month” from Stereoplay (Germany), and five stars from both Rondo (Germany) and Neue Zuricher Zeitung (Switzerland). Dan McClenaghan of allaboutjazz.com put it succinctly: “Copland is a genius...he creates the loveliest of sounds.” The respected blog jazzstation awarded him “ #1 Acoustic Pianist of the Year” for 2020.

Mark Feldman

Born in Chicago in 1955, Grammy award-winning violinist Mark Feldman is a unique figure in the history of jazz, a violinist with impeccable classical technique and a unique modern style. In addition to his own projects, his 230-plus album credits and touring history are impressive in their breadth: he’s worked with John Abercrombie, Muhal Richard Abrams, the Basel Symphonetta, Paul Bley, Uri Caine, Johnny Cash, the CBS Television Network Orchestra, Cheryl Crow, Placido Domingo, Dave Douglas, Billy Hart, Carole King, Manhattan Transfer, the Nashville Philharmonic, Willie Nelson, the Netherlands Radio Symphony, Chris Potter, Diana Ross, the WDR Big Band, and John Zorn. And with over a couple of hundred recordings, that’s obviously just a small sample. In 2007 He was awarded the Alpert Award Prize in Music. His own projects include “What Exit” (ECM) and “Music for Violin Alone” (Tzadik). A composer, his works have been commissioned and performed by the Kronos Quartet and the WDR Radio Orchestra. He premiered the Violin Concerto of Guus Janssen as soloist with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Feldman’s intuitive approach to his instrument, and his lightning-fast ears, enable him to engage in improvised counterpoint and interplay with Copland at an extremely high level. No two performances of this band are exactly alike.