The Todd Marcus Jazz Duo is an ensemble that features my bass clarinet along with pianist Harry Appelman. This ensemble features my original compositions as well as interpretations of jazz standards and features great interplay between my horn and Harry Appelman's piano playing.

This ensemble came about years ago by accident when a performance didn't offer a large enough budget to feature a full rhythm section. Initially I was apprehensive about the gig (a six hour performance with just the two of us) but I quickly found that we shared a common harmonic approach and were able to explore tremendous musical creativity and responsiveness with no other instruments to focus on except what each other were doing. This setting also really allows a context to hear the subtle textures of my instrument which sometimes get covered over when playing in louder ensemble settings with drums.
  • This Is New
    I still like playing jazz standards in addition to original compositions and This Is New is a less commonly played tune that Harry Appelman introduced me too. There's nothing complex about the tune or arrangement - just a fun piece to play and improvise on. The final minute and a half also show of the exploration we like to do in this ensemble at the end of tunes with joint improvisation.
  • I Fall In Love Too Easily
    I still like playing jazz standards in addition to original compositions and I Fall In Love Too Easily is a very pretty ballad that Miles Davis was fond of playing. We present it here in the duo setting with an improvised introduction by Harry Appelman for the two minutes before the melody is stated.
  • Donna Lee
    I still like playing jazz standards in addition to original compositions and Donna Lee is a tune by Charlie Parker that I've played for years. It's a fast intricate bebop melody but in the arrangement here I've toyed with the speed a bit so that it seems to speed up and slow down before the solos begin. This version includes an improvised introduction by Harry Appelman for the first minute and later solos by both me on bass clarinet and him on piano.
  • Cantata
    Cantata is an original composition of mine that shows some of my classical roots with a main themed fugue. The composition's second movement shifts to a jazz waltz and uses this harmonic structure for improvisations before returning to the fugue theme to end the composition. The melody features my bass clarinet with the piano but I switch to soprano clarinet for the solo.
  • The Adventure of Kang and Kodos
    The Adventures of Kang and Kodos is an original composition of mine that features the rich low and high ranges of the bass clarinet. It is a short melody that opens into improvisational soloing over a minor blues form.
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    duo2-2.jpg
  • Todd Marcus Duo
    Todd Marcus Duo
    Todd Marcus (bass clarinet) and Harry Appelman (piano) rehearsing in Baltimore at An Die Musik.
  • The Todd Marcus Duo
    The Todd Marcus Duo
    Todd Marcus (bass clarinet) and Harry Appelman (piano) performing in Washington, DC.
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