REVIEW EXTRACTED QUOTES

“Rossi's vibrant musical textures swirl and surge with canny delight; his variegated pieces, shot through with surprise twists, arching melodies, and exciting polyrhythms, challenge the mind and surprise the ear at every turn... Having explored and expanded his gift of musical tongues, Rossi seeks the kernel of clarity amid complexity.”— Abstract Logix

“Pianist Marc Rossi is onto something here...his music is high energy, high concept and high culture.” — Walter Kolosky, Jazz.com

“Every now and again, there comes a light to illuminate the music in a manner conducive to it being an American art form. With the release of Hidden Mandala , keyboardist Marc Rossi has definitely followed a rich tradition of ever-evolving, charismatic, improvisational excellence...While Hidden Mandala carries another level of influence, the CD is definitely jazz music at its finest...Rossi penned the compositions for the recording as well. But make no mistake about it, the combined elements that went into the making of this CD proves that the semblance of improvisation continues to exist. Marc Rossi has accomplished the unimaginable with the recording of Hidden Mandala. When examining the overall scope of this CD, the impact on the senses is appealing and pleasantly surprising.” — Sheldon Nunn, Jazz CD Review

“Rossi explores his inner universe to create eight energetic and exciting tunes. This CD has good karma, one of the most enjoyable creative works of the year!”— Oscar Groomes

“On Hidden Mandala , Rossi's songs capture the rich possibilities of classical Indian music, but still stay true to their jazz roots.... at once giving the song a gutsy rootedness and the harmonic freedom to float out of western conventions. ...as the improvisations speak to limitless possibilities.”— Jay Deshpande, All About jazz

“Rossi's multifarious persona shines via his morphing of mystical choruses and soft arrangements... No doubt, it's one of the more interesting and off-the-beaten path jazz outings of 2008.”— Glenn Astarita, ejazznews

MUSICIANS

“...Very nice indeed.” — John McLaughlin, guitar legend and Grammy winner.

“Marc Rossi is the hip guru of jazz-Indian fusion.” — Richard Stoltzman, Grammy winning clarinet soloist.

“The music of Marc Rossi is intensely expressive. He uses the greatest diversity of means from the melodic lyricism of his String Quartet #1, to the orchestral grandeur of Negru Voda to the evocative sonorities of Three Jazz Sutras to produce consistently compelling music of haunting beauty and striking originality.”—Jeffrey Jacob, pianist

"Surely Marc Rossi has made significant enough strides to begin to rank him amongst the most accomplished and prolific American composers of his generation. This is represented by a steadily growing catalogue of recorded works along with very important achievements as an improviser, performer, composer, and teacher." —William Thomas McKinley

"Marc Rossi's music shines like a beacon."––George Russell

"I performed with Marc on a number of gigs. I found his compositions to be haunting, lyrical and passionate, and audiences responded to them."—Lewis Porter

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REVIEWS

“Lewis Porter and Marc Rossi turn in a fine studio recording of piano duos on Transformation, interspersed with synthesizer explorations. These two long-time collaborators and friends offer up original compositions and a few standards; the most notable of the latter is a sparkling rendition of Coltrane's "After the Rain", capturing beautifully the lush transparency of the saxophonist's conception. That said, a blistering version of George Russell's "Ezz-thetic" is a fine opener as it emphasizes the players' different approach to soloing. Simply put, Rossi is deliciously linear while Porter's lines are often broken by arpeggios and fascinating motific sequences, making for exciting contrast. Of the originals, especially intriguing is "Slow Counterpoint", a duo piano improvisation cast in 'modern' classical garb. It is as if Hindemith and Shostakovich collaborated on two piano miniatures and then combined them. Of equal interest is an electronically rendered reading of Herbie Hancock's "Ostinato"; Porter lays down nicely judged flute solos, making nice use of the Yamaha Motif's keyboard sensitivity while Rossi tears it up with a Fender Rhodes sound. It is the best of the keyboard tracks, which often hold less interest than do the acoustic piano duos. Still, this is a first-class production and the players are in obvious accord throughout. ” For more information, visit amiranirecords.com and altrisuoni.com —AllAboutJazz NY July 2010, p. 29

Essex Chamber Music Players Classical Contemporary Chamber Music for the 21st Century Volume 1
DIEMER Homage to Poulenc, Mozart and McDowell for flute, cello and Piano • Michael Finegold (fl); David Pihl (pn)
ERICKSON Songs of Summer for Soprano and Flute • Charlotte Russell (sop); Michael Finegold (fl)
ROSSI Fantasy in Adi Talam for Flute and Cello; A Dance to the Music of Being • Michael Finegold (fl); Emmanuel Feldman (vc); David Pihl (pn); Volker Nahrmann (bs); Matt Kilmer (perc)
BROWN Vocalise 1 and 2 • Charlotte Russell (sop); Michael Finegold (fl); David Pihl (pn); Carol Mastrodominico (sop)
MMC 2180 (80:12)
Here's a versatile Massachusetts-based chamber group, the Essex Chamber Music Players, led by flutist Michael G. Finegold, offering on their Classical Contemporary Chamber Music Volume 1, a buffet of four diverse composers. The core configuration here is flute, piano and cello, but the trio is joined at times by soprano, string bass and percussion. Though they are dedicated to performing music from the 17th through the 21st centuries, here they remain in present-day mode.
Emma Lou Diemer's Homage to Poulenc, Mozart and MacDowell (written for the group in 2004) for flute, cello and piano, has a jaunty, jazzy opening, followed by block piano chords against whimsical flute runs. The three instruments become three characters, voices responding or accompanying each other. The last movement begins its locomotive way followed by a spry, butterfly-like motive, answered by a traveling piano vamp. There's a little Claude Bolling here plus a mysterious section, like a walk in the woods at night. Ms. Diemer should market this piece to every flute trio out there, because it's sure to please any audience. She's an entertainer with a sense of playfulness. And the trio seems in sync and having fun with it.
For contrast, there is Elaine Erickson's atmospheric and spare Songs of Summer (2007) for soprano and flute, and Marc W. Rossi's rousing raga, Fantasy in Adi Talam (2003) for flute and cello. Rossi uses to advantage here the eight-beat South Indian rhythm cycle that serves as a framework for many traditional South Indian Kritis (art songs). This is followed by J. Windel Brown's wistful lieder and, finally, another Rossi selection, A Dance to the Music of Being (2002), a jaunty, meandering tambourine-accompanied, cross-over, raga-influenced piece. I don't know too much specifically about Indian Kriti form (only what I can remember from world music courses at Wesleyan), but I suspect Mr. Rossi is doing something sly with it - the result is very entertaining.
This CD is an example of smart programming and excellent musicianship. You won't find much of the dreary, serial variety, and the group, at least judging by this example, is wedded to the idea of pleasing their audiences as much as exhibiting their chops, either of the performing or composing variety. —David Wolman

“Marc Rossi is one of the dynamic few whose musical and cultural awareness travels exponentially in many different directions, expanding his personal universe. His piano and writing for professional ensembles of composers/NEC educators Jimmy Guiffre (quartet) and George Russell (Living Time Orchestra), as well as for his own neo-fusion sextet the Marc Rossi Group (MRC, formerly Solaris), and the world-beat band Ascension, have shown skill, depth, heart a sense of adventure, and attempts to form a fresh vernacular.”—Fred Bouchard, DownBeat

“Associate Professor Marc Rossi doesn’t see diverse music styles fitting neatly into compartments. A pianist and composer, he freely moves between musical genres running the gamut from jazz and fusion to classical and non-Western music.”—Berklee Today

“Using [George Russell’s Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization] as a point of departure, [Ben Schwendener and Marc Rossi] combine talents to yield a product that exists somewhere between the Second Viennese School and post bop—cerebral, but elegant; moving from bare lines to rich, expansive harmonies.”—SoundTracks Column, newmusicbox.org

“…while Boston, MA based pianists Marc Rossi and Ben Schwendener may not represent household names, [Living Geometry] recorded live at a concert hall in Cambridge, MA, hits the mark in a variety of ways…Rossi and Schwendener concoct subtle melodies in concert with alternating statements while utilizing Russell’s now infamous harmonic language as a core framework…this is a very special endeavor, marked by the contrasting tonalities of their grand pianos and mutual comprehension of what needed to be accomplished. A beautiful affair it is! (A top pick for 2002).”—Modern Jazz Editor’s Monthly Pick (September 2002), allaboutjazz.com

“Keyboardist Marc Rossi’s quintet shows throughout We Must Continue that there is still life to be found in fusion. Even with the constant evolution of keyboards during the last decade (this disc was recorded back in 1988), the spirited music on Marc Rossi’s CD still sounds fresh and the chance taking explorations have plenty of exciting moments. This enjoyable set is easily recommended to listeners who are not afraid of the sound of fusion.”—Scott Yanow, LA Jazz Scene

“Leader, composer and keyboardist Marc Rossi has released a debut album which is second to none. He holds a long list of credentials from all facets of the music industry. Jazz fans around the world are sure to be talking about this great new release. Be sure to check it out!”—Morrice’s Jazz CD Review (now jazzreview.com)

“With his debut recording as a leader, composer/keyboardist Marc Rossi offers sophisticated, original compositions energized by improvisation and the rhythms of a wide spectrum of popular and world musics. Rossi brings all his experiences and influences into vibrant interplay on We Must Continue.”—New England Entertainment Digest

“Rossi has been building a reputation playing in truly diverse musical environs, from NuClassix and the Jimmy Guiffre 4 to Stan Strickland and Ascension and George Russell’s Living Time Orchestra. His music is full of surprises.”—Bob Young, Boston Herald

“Stan Strickland’s Ascension, the electric sextet propelled by the keyboards and writing of Marc Rossi, remains a spirited forum that allows him room for some riskier blowing on saxes and flute while maintaining audience-friendly soul and world beat rhythms.”—Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe

“['Negru Voda'] is lushly orchestrated and lyrically pensive, tinged with jazz harmony…by its end I was moved.”—Fanfare

“Rossi has never been someone of one-dimensional interests. The list of both jazz and classical compositions he has written is long and impressive.”—David Wildman, Boston Globe

“['Blue Solomon: A Song of Songs’] triparite format teems with energetic abandon and shows an engaging directness of speech.”—David Cleary, 21st Century Music

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