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BY LEE BARRETT: Special to The Pilot
Last Saturday’s jazz concert, featuring the Lenny Marcus Trio, attracted a throng of appreciative aficionados to the Sunrise Theater.
The trio opened with Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” set the tone for an outstanding evening of jazz with a different, unique “spin,” equally enjoyed by audience and musicians. They continued with such diverse titles as “Take 5,” “Swahili Land,” “I Love the Life I live,” “Little Sunflower” and as a tribute to the season, “Autumn Leaves.” The trio continued, after a short intermission, with “Afro Blues,” “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” “Song for my Father,” an audience favorite, with vocal by Marcus. Other selections included “Nighttime,” “Once I Loved,” “Mad With You” and concluded with a blues number “Everyday I Have the Blues,” vocalized by Lenny Marcus.
The trio’s sound is contemporary and fresh, the arrangements, innovative, but definitely jazzy with strong blues and, at times, classical undertones: a true delight to the listener. Marcus’ approach was accomplished and easy, his piano playing on a par with the best, his vocals, a real treat.
http://archives.thepilot.com/November2000/11-17-00/111700JazzTrio.html - The Pilot.com
Pianist-vocalist Marcus fronts a trio that plays jazz in a way that can be best described as infectious. Joining in with members Peter Ingram on drums and John Brown on bass (bassist Robbie Link sits in on four of the cuts) are major guests Sonny Fortune on alto and Frank Foster on tenor, who add horsepower to the lineup of standards and originals. Marcus, as a vocalist, charms with his singing and scatting, coming across as a blend of Hoagy Carmichael and Bob Dorough; check him out on Horace Silver's "Song for My Father." Fortune is special on his five appearances, including a pair of Marcus originals, "A Different Time" and "The Prayer," while Foster blows with confident ease. His "Manhattan Fever" and "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" are fine examples of his craft.
-David Zych
- Jazz Times, June, 2000
BY LEE BARRETT: Special to The Pilot
Last Saturday’s jazz concert, featuring the Lenny Marcus Trio, attracted a throng of appreciative aficionados to the Sunrise Theater.
The trio opened with Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” set the tone for an outstanding evening of jazz with a different, unique “spin,” equally enjoyed by audience and musicians. They continued with such diverse titles as “Take 5,” “Swahili Land,” “I Love the Life I live,” “Little Sunflower” and as a tribute to the season, “Autumn Leaves.” The trio continued, after a short intermission, with “Afro Blues,” “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” “Song for my Father,” an audience favorite, with vocal by Marcus. Other selections included “Nighttime,” “Once I Loved,” “Mad With You” and concluded with a blues number “Everyday I Have the Blues,” vocalized by Lenny Marcus.
The trio’s sound is contemporary and fresh, the arrangements, innovative, but definitely jazzy with strong blues and, at times, classical undertones: a true delight to the listener. Marcus’ approach was accomplished and easy, his piano playing on a par with the best, his vocals, a real treat.
http://archives.thepilot.com/November2000/11-17-00/111700JazzTrio.html - The Pilot.com
Discography
Released 9 CD's:
Remember Infinity, Bat in the Hat, A Different Shade of Blue, Jazzaphrenia, Jazz Time, Cathexis, Jazz Tonight, In the Middle of the Night, and Deeper Still.
www.lennymarcusmusic.com has soundbytes
heavy radio airplay on NPR public radio jazz stations
national weather channel- "local on the 8's" music
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Bio
www.lennymarcusmusic.com
The Lenny Marcus Trio has recorded 8 CD's, performed in two international jazz festivals, played in numerous jazz and blues festivals, and is always sought after for local and regional gigs in Virginia and North Carolina. Lenny originally began his career in DC, studying with Ray Bryant, then moved to New Orleans and studied with Ellis Marsalis and Alvin Batiste, performing with many of New Orleans' greats. The group's jazz sound is unique, high energy, influenced by such diverse musicians as McCoy Tyner, Ahmad Jamal, Mose Allison's vocal style, the Beatles, Steely Dan, and others. Lenny's original compositions have been featured on radio and TV, the National Weather Channel (many songs), NPR ALL That Jazz, and two of his songs were finalists in the ISC international song competition.
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