Marc Copland is an American jazz pianist and composer with one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz. Dubbed "the piano whisperer" by the European press, he is well known for his unique touch and sensitivity — possessing the uncanny ability to draw listeners into an intimate world of sound, color, and silence.
Copland first entered the Philadelphia jazz scene as a saxophonist before moving to New York, where he experimented with electric alto saxophone. In the early 1970s, pursuing his own harmonic concept, he grew dissatisfied with what he felt were inherent limitations of the saxophone and relocated to the Baltimore–Washington D.C. area, spending nearly a decade retraining as a jazz pianist.
When he returned to the jazz world in the mid-1980s, his piano playing was considered a revelation — a vividly original style firmly in place. As a sought-after sideman, he lent his talents to luminaries including Joe Lovano, James Moody, Wallace Roney, and Tim Hagans, before embarking on a prolific career as a bandleader.
Considered by many the premier jazz pianist of his generation, Copland is often compared to Bill Evans for his supple touch and refined harmonic sensibility. All About Jazz He has recorded extensively in trio, duo, and solo settings, earning widespread critical acclaim across Europe and North America.