THE TODD MARCUS QUINTET FEATURING VIRGINIA MACDONALD

Since 2022, Baltimore bass clarinetist Todd Marcus and Toronto clarinetist Virginia MacDonald have been performing and touring together across the United States and Canada with their quintet. Their work together presents a lush ensemble that showcases the range of beauty and power by the clarinet in a modern jazz context, with repertoire comprised of original compositions by both bandleaders. They have performed at jazz festivals and prominent venues internationally including Smalls Jazz Club, the Toronto Jazz Festival, the International Clarinet Association, and the Baltimore Museum of Art.

ABOUT TODD MARCUS

“A new Todd Marcus recording is always a treat, not only for his prowess as a restlessly creative bass clarinetist but also for his original compositions that often explore the fertile ties between jazz and Egyptian music.”JazzTimes, July 2022

“Along with Amir ElSaffar and Ibrahim Maalouf, Todd Marcus is one of this era’s great paradigm-shifters blending jazz with traditional Middle Eastern sounds. Like ElSaffar, Marcus came to his Middle Eastern roots from the jazz side; he’s also one of very few bass clarinetists to lead a large ensemble.”Lucid Culture, July 2022

– The New York Times

Bass clarinetist/composer Todd Marcus is one of the few jazz artists worldwide to focus their work primarily on the bass clarinet.

Though use of bass clarinet in jazz typically leans heavily towards avant-garde and free-jazz styles, Marcus’ straight-ahead playing has carved out a unique voice for the instrument in modern jazz. His music swings hard with both a fiery and introspective intensity but also maintains a strong lyrical sensibility.

Marcus has annually been voted a Rising Star in Downbeat Magazine’s Annual Critics Poll since 2013 and The New York Times writes, “Mr. Marcus is probably the most inventive bass clarinetist working in straight-ahead jazz today…[and] lives in Baltimore, where he is a guiding light on the city’s jazz scene who doubles as an activist and organizer.” The Washington Post adds, “Listeners won’t have any trouble recognizing Marcus’s compelling gifts for composing and arranging.”

ABOUT VIRGINIA MACDONALD

“Clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, a standout for her eloquent, boundlessly creative solos.” Hannah Edgar, Downbeat

“[Virginia] is one of the only people I’ve heard get that completely soulful essence that you get on the saxophone; she gets it on the clarinet. She’s got her own voice.” Grammy-Award winning trombonist Michael Dease, London Jazz News

“[Virginia’s] playing is exemplary, with technical infallibility, a full focused sound, and dexterity reminiscent of Eddie Daniels. Her improvised lines are equally engaging, putting one in mind of what a young Branford Marsalis was pushing in the ’80s. It is refreshing to hear the clarinet making its mark so effectively in a contemporary jazz setting.” – Charles Rees, London Jazz News

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