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QUINT5T

by Marc Copland

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1.
Mystery Song 05:52
2.
Off A Bird 03:48
3.
Figment 07:51
4.
Broken Time 06:44
5.
Moontide 09:55
6.
7.
8.
9.

about

“How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?” ---Satchel Paige

The five members of this all-star group need no introduction. There are two unusual things to note here: one, they don't play like your average all-star band. Here is a cohesive unit that wants to play together, and that knows how to do that while simultaneously leaving room for the individual talents of each member to shine. Two, while hardly youngsters, these cats aren't sleepwalking; they are all still developing and building their craft. The result is music steeped in tradition, but not shy about taking chances. The opening track, “Mystery Song,” is a perfect example; it's a 2020 rendition of a tune originally recorded in 1931 by its composer, Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington.

credits

released September 18, 2020

1. Mystery Song / 5:52 / Duke Ellington
“I have loved this tune for years,” says pianist Copland. “I arranged it for my university big band back in the 1960's. Over the years, I've found that whatever you've been working on lately in your playing, this tune will gladly let you apply it.” The track opens with drummer Baron playing on the skins directly with his hands, and Copland ad-libbing an intro that combines his trademark improvised harmonies with an unmistakable r & b flavor. Liebman, Gress and Alessi all acquit themselves admirably, and after a final pass at the melody, the track ends with this very tuned-in rhythm section inventing, as it so often does, an ending out of thin air.
2. Off a Bird / 3:48 / David Liebman
Composed with Charlie Parker in mind, this track packs a cornucopia of inspired interaction into its under-four-minute length. Copland solos first, weaving quotes from Bird's tunes into a playful romp, ably supported by drummer Baron. Liebman and Brecker follow with a “free” duet, that leads to the out chorus, which the band plays in a rhythmic unison of harmonic clusters.
3. Figment / 7:51 / Drew Gress
“This might be one of the hardest tunes we play,” says Copland about Gress's composition, “and at the same time it's one of the most rewarding.” The chord movements, while they sound natural, are not easy to negotiate---nevertheless, Liebman and Brecker's solos sound almost effortless. The “hook,” like many pop music hooks, is a short repeated phrase with the same rhythm, but the complex chord it's based on is taken through six different keys. At the tune's end, a duet between the two horns devolves into an ethereal painting by Copland that marks the end of the take.
4. Broken Time / 6:45 / Joey Baron
Over the years all members of QUINT5T have been bandleaders. Joey Baron is no exception, and his tunes clearly demonstrate that this drummer knows how to employ harmony and melody in a tune just as well as he deploys rhythm on his instrument. Alessi, Liebman and Copland all stretch out in swinging fashion, with the composer churning supportively underneath, before taking the tune home. Check out Gress's work as the tune ends.
5. Moontide / 9:55 / Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker's tune provides a jumping off point for the composer, Liebman, and Copland. Of particular interest here are the different ways in which each soloist explores an extended section of one tonality, in this case B minor. Also of note is how the three play a game of musical tag---Brecker and Copland each starts off his chorus by answering the last melodic phrase of the previous player.
6. Child at Play / 6:58 / David Liebman
David Liebman wrote this tune while thinking of his daughter Lydia, and the feeling he had as a father watching his then young child playing with friends. This deceptively simple tune is another difficult series of chord changes, which the soloists navigate with aplomb. Of special note is drummer Baron's solo chorus, in which he deftly navigates the form of the tune to make his statement.
7. Broken Time (reprise) / 3:39 / Joey Baron
A reprise is a surprise here: Baron's swinger resurfaces as a tender free ballad, played by a trio that clearly knows how to do just that. Copland credits Baron's openness for this transformation. “I was fooling around with it at home, playing the changes very slowly—which I do with most tunes, so I can really hear where it's going. This tune sounded really cool that way. I asked Joey if he'd mind trying it as a slow ballad instead of a medium swing---I was sure he'd think I'm crazy. But instead he smiled and said “Let's try it.”
8. There's a Mingus Amonk Us / 6:27 / Randy Brecker
Like its title, this tune is filled with sly musical references and and double entendres. Hidden beneath its surface are unconventional chord modulations and rhythmic surprises. The band clearly has fun with this one.
9. Pocketful of Change / 9:11 / Joey Baron
This second contribution by drummer Baron also usually closes the band's live performances. It's a gorgeous slow ballad in 12/8, leaving lots of room for these players to explore. The ending is a bit of a surprise, leaving one with the sense that there is more to come. That's a sentiment shared by all the members. “We did a tour and it felt good, so we decided to record it,” says Brecker. And with more tours being planned, it's fair to expect that the music will continue to feel good, and that the band will continue to further explore that feeling.

© 2020 InnerVoiceJazz
Recorded January 26 & 27, 2020 by David Stoller
The Samurai Hotel, NYC
Mixed and Mastered February 23, 2020 by David Darlington
Bass Hit Recording, NYC
Produced by Robin Verheyen and Marc Copland
Advice and wisdom: Bettina Rossi
Cover Photo: Ian Plant
Band Photo: TJ Krebs
Poem: Bill Zavatsky
Graphic design: Ziel / Elmar Zillgen

Promotional video filmed by Lyndon McCray and Robert O‘Haire,
edited by Lyndon McCray, available here:
vimeo.com/393032410

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about

Marc Copland New York, New York

Marc Copland, recognized for his unique style, is a prolific jazz pianist and composer. A longtime resident of New York, he was a close collaborator for nearly a half century with both John Abercrombie and Gary Peacock.. He has released almost 40 lead and solo albums since 1988, and has been a sideman on dozens more. ... more

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