My review of Marc Copland’s wonderful piano trio date, his first of that format in sven years, And I Love Her, today at All About Jazz.

There was a time when Marc Copland was releasing multiple albums every year, sometimes as many as three or four, like in 2009, when the veteran pianist (who began his musical life as a saxophonist) released his second solo piano album, Alone (Pirouet); an intimate duo date with veteran bassist Gary Peacock, Insight (Sketch); and the final entry in Copland's New York Trio triptych of piano trio recordings, Night Whispers (Pirouet).

Times have changed, and while releases under Copland's name are fewer, he remains a busy pianist, not only as a leader but as a co-leader on albums like Sticks and Stones (Kwimu, 2017), an occasional collaboration with Canadian guitarist Roddy Ellias and double bassist Adrian Vedady. But it's his participation in two groups found on the influential Munich label, ECM Records (celebrating its Golden Anniversary this year), that have significantly bolstered his reputation and visibility in recent years.

The first, a trio led by longtime label stalwart Peacock, has released two albums to date, including the recent Tangents (2017). But it was John Abercrombie's final quartet, also responsible for two ECM albums including 2017's Up and Coming (released just seven months before the veteran ECM guitarist passed away in August 2017, age 72), that is most significant in the context of And I Love Her, a trio date that reunites Copland's fellow Abercrombie Quartet partners: double bassist Drew Gress; and Joey Baron, who also plays drums in Peacock's trio.

It's hard to believe that And I Love Her is Copland's first piano trio date as a leader since Some More Love Songs (Pirouet, 2012), the pianist's conceptual follow-up to Some Love Songs (Pirouet, 2005), both featuring longtime Copland collaborator Gress, and drummer Jochen Rueckert.

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