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Michael Marcus
Michael Marcus has been an active member of the New York jazz scene for over twenty five years. In the 1980's and 1990's Michael became a prominent figure on the "free jazz" scene...while always staying connected to the tradition! Since releasing his debut recording as a leader, "Under The Wire" for Enja in 1991, he has continued to be part of the cutting edge in American improvised music, touring the festival and club circuits both in the US and Europe, as well as appearing on over thirty records for Soul Note, Justin' Time, Not Two, Boxholder, CIMP & Qwest/Warner. He has performed/recorded with: Albert King, Bobby Blue Bland (w/Mel Brown, Wayne Bennett & Morris Atchison), Sonny Simmons, Jaki Byard Trio, Rahn Burton, Billy Higgins, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, Ted Daniel, Henry Grimes, Joe Walsh (Eagles), Nasheet Waits, Tarus Mateen, Jymie Merritt, Alvin Fielder, Chris Parker, Oliver Truchot, Warren Smith. Vince Wallace, Fred Hopkins, Philip Wilson, "Bishop" Norman Williams, B.J.PAPA, John Handy, Clifford Barbaro, Masa Kamaguchi, Bob Cunningham, Roy Campbell, Steve Neil, Eddie Henderson, Larry Hancock, Hideji Taninaka, Joe LaBarbra, Jay Rosen, Mel Graves, Charles & Cody Moffett, Chris Sullivan, Reggie Nicholson, Carlos Ward, Aaron James, Radu Williams, Matt Brewer, Eric Revis, Richard Clements, Herbie Lewis, Joe Bonner, Sid Simmons, Taru Alexander, Andrew Cyrille, Roswell Rudd, Rashaan Carter, Antoine Roney, Dave Burrell, Daniel Levin, Francois Grillot, Eric McPherson, John Bacon Jr., Greg Piontek, Vincent Chancey, Henry Threadgill, Luther Thomas, Bob Arkin, Tom Bruno, Art Lewis, Peter Herbert, Emil Ram, John Patton, Scott Colley, Curtis Lundy, Bob Feldman, Xavier Davis, Gene Jackson, Darrel Green, Emanuel Harrold Reggie Workman, Tyler Mitchell, Sonny Rhodes, Donald Smith, Eddie Gladden, Dominic Duval, Cecil Wells, Newman T. Baker, Georg Wolf, Bruce Edwards, Sadiq Abdushahid, Chris Amberger, Grant Levin, Don Alberts, Kiane Zawadi, Wade Barnes, Makoto Sato, Itaru Oki, Charlie Collins & Gary Strauss. Also, w/ Makanda Ken McIntyre Ensemble, Grachan Moncur's Big band, Zane Massey's "Liberation Suite", Jemeel Moondoc's JUS GREW Orchestra (w/Steve Swell,Bern Nix,Chad Taylor, Gerald Cleaver, N.Breedlove & Tyronne Hill), Joe Bowie's Defunkt & the Saxemble (w/ Frank Lowe, James Carter & Cindy Blackman)- (2005) performing in a duet with drum great: Edgar Bateman & many more great artists. Michael in 1997-8 had the pleasure to record & tour with the late great Mr.Jaki Byard!.....He is extremely active in the 2000's. Co- leading the "Cosmosamatics" w/ Sonny Simmons (touring & recording)- the Cosmosamatics have 8 CDs released.
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Michael Marcus, Forest Chorus, Joao Lencastre & Perelman/Shipp
by Maurice Hogue
Europe's improvised scene is well-represented in this edition of One Man's Jazz with samplings of new releases by Forest Chorus which feature the great multi-reedist from Finland, Mikko Innanen, Portguese drummer Joao Lencastre & Communion, and three women artists making lots of waves: bassist Silvia Bolognesi from Italy, French pianist Cécille Cappozzo and German drummer Eva Klesse. Three veteran saxophonists also have interesting new releases: Michael Marcus, Daniel Carter (with Green Soul) and Ivo Perelman with Matthew Shipp. And some ...
Continue ReadingBlue Reality Quartet: Blue Reality Quartet!
by John Sharpe
Back in 2001 when reedman Michael Marcus' trio waxed a disc under the title Blue Reality (Soulnote, 2002), he could scarcely have imagined the circumstances under which he might resurrect the name. As the four masked faces on the cover of Blue Reality Quartet! show, times are sadly very different. Joining Marcus in the studio in November 2020 are and drummer Jay Rosen from the original date, multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee and percussionist Warren Smith. A plethora of connections informs the ...
Continue ReadingDuology + 2 at the London Jazz Festival
by John Sharpe
Duology + 2 Cafe OtoLondonNovember, 13, 2009
The opening night of the London Jazz Festival provided a rare opportunity to hear clarinetist Michael Marcus and trumpeter Ted Daniel--two seasoned, but unsung denizens of the New York scene--in the intimate surroundings of Dalston's Cafe Oto.
Marcus made his debut with the blues bands of Albert King and Bobby “Blue" Bland, before becoming a prominent figure in the free jazz scene from the 1980s onward ...
Continue ReadingMichael Marcus: Lotus Symphony
by John Sharpe
Improvisers who concentrate on the clarinet are a select bunch, perhaps something to do with the difficulty of navigating its tricky three registers--a far cry from the early days of jazz when the clarinet's cry was integral to Dixieland and swing ensembles. Multi-instrumentalist Michael Marcus has only lately joined that coterie lost in the licorice stick's possibilities, saying in a 2007 interview , “I find it easier now to fulfill some of my thoughts with the clarinet, through musical articulations ...
Continue ReadingMichael Marcus: Lotus Symphony, Free Within The Law & Duology
by Marc Medwin
Michael MarcusLotus SymphonyNot Two2008 The CosmosamaticsFree Within The LawNot Two2008 DuologyGolden AtomsSoul Note2008 Saxophonist and clarinetist Michael Marcus further establishes his versatility with these three recent releases. In various instrumental configurations and featuring long-time collaborators, these are diverse discs where craft and commitment merge to create ...
Continue ReadingMichael Marcus: Lotus Symphony
by Troy Collins
A criminally under-sung multi-instrumentalist, Michael Marcus' collaborations with Ted Daniel, Frank Lowe, and Sonny Simmons over the past two decades have yielded some of the most enduring and adventurous sounds in modern jazz. A soulful stylist on soprano, alto, and baritone saxophone, Marcus is also an advocate of the more esoteric members of the saxophone family, such as the manzello, stritch, and saxello (all originally popularized by Rahsaan Roland Kirk).
Lately however, Marcus has abandoned doubling in order ...
Continue ReadingMichael Marcus: Lotus Symphony
by Jerry D'Souza
Michael Marcus is a multi-instrumentalist who has shown mettle on the manzello, the stritch, the saxello, as well as the alto, baritone and soprano saxophones and the clarinet. He has recently been gravitating towards the clarinet and has played solely on the Bb clarinet on Golden Atoms (Soul Note, 2008) and here on Lotus Symphony.
The high mark of this release is the way in which Marcus balances improvisation and composition. This is done through a shifting line-up ...
Continue Reading"Duology" -Michael Marcus-Ted Daniel Rare N.Y.C. Appearance!
Source:
All About Jazz
Michael Marcus Quartet Performs at the Blue Note NYC, March 3rd, 2008
Source:
All About Jazz
Michael Marcus Quartet Thursday , September 20th 8:00PM at Barge Music
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
THURSDAY NIGHT JAZZ SERIES AT BARGEMUSIC For reservations and further information, please call: 718-624-2083 Tickets are $35 regular, $30 seniors, $20 students Located at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, Bargemusic began its Thursday night JAZZ Series starting in June 2007. Please find the September schedule below with more performances to come! Imagine a truly unique New York City location with charm, history and spectacular water views. A location that will delight even the most sophisticated ...
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Reedman Michael Marcus Interviewed at AAJ
Source:
All About Jazz
Philadelphia performance artist “Skip" Homer Jackson recently asked about a number of jazz artists who have been overlooked because they were great stylists who played in the shadows of great players. Booker Ervin's relationship to John Coltrane came immediately to mind, as did Booker Little, who ironically was little (no pun intended) appreciated during the 1960's era of stellar jazz hornmen. Equally there is multi-instrumentalist/band leader and composer Michael Marcus.
AAJ contributor Ludwig van Trikt spoke with Marcus at great ...
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"DUOLOGY" - Michael Marcus & Ted Daniel - Live in NYC, Nov. 19th, 2006
Source:
All About Jazz
Michael Marcus Quartet "Live" at the BlueNote N.Y.C. July 4th, 2006
Source:
All About Jazz
Michael Marcus peforms the music of Ornette Coleman at the AMJazzIn
Source:
All About Jazz
Michael Marcus Qt W/Ted Daniel (Tonight) The Songwriter's Beat / Gnu Vox Vocal Series & More at the Cornelia Street Cafe
Source:
All About Jazz
September 19, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Cornelia Street Cafe 29 Cornelia Street Greenwich Village, NY 10014 Tel: 212-989-9319 Fax: 212-243-4207 Web: corneliastreetcafe.com between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1,9 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, F to West 4th St. “a culinary as well as a cultural landmark" Mayoral Proclamation, City of New York 1987 This Week at Cornelia Street Cafe Sept. 19 thg Sept. 25 Mon ...
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"Here is a soloist that has style, flair, and soul." Ron Wynn, Jazz Times "Michael Marcus comes out of Coltrane, Kirk, and Dolphy but has his own sound." Thomas Conrad, Downbeat Magazine "Lotus Symphony is a fertile rejoinder for the clarinet in modern improvisation."-Clifford Allen Feb.2009
Primary Instrument
Multi-instrumentalist
Photos
Music
Bird Comes Home
From: For Yes!By Michael Marcus
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Michael Marcus
Instrument: Multi-instrumentalist
Born: August 25, 1952
