Todd Marcus Quintet Feat. Virginia Macdonald at Black Squirrel Club

“Mr. Marcus is probably the most inventive bass clarinetist working in straight-ahead jazz today..." -The New York Times

“[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

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....

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“Mr. Marcus is probably the most inventive bass clarinetist working in straight-ahead jazz today..." -The New York Times

“[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

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.

Playing the clarinet is challenging (due technical and volume complexities) which leads most woodwind musicians to use saxophones and avoid using clarinets in more intense modern jazz. While the clarinet has a rich history in traditional New Orleans and Dixieland music, swing era big band contexts, and avant-garde free playing, it is significantly underutilized in modern straight-ahead jazz.

Marcus and MacDonald have filled this gap for the clarinet in modern jazz. Their unique solo and compositional voices have established a prominence and international reputation on their instruments in jazz today. Their musical partnership showcases the versatility of the clarinet and captures audiences with a new and unique musical experience.

They have performed together at jazz festivals and prominent venues worldwide: Smalls Jazz Club, the Toronto Jazz Festival, the International Clarinet Association, and the Baltimore Museum of Art.

One of the few artists worldwide to focus on the bass clarinet as a primary instrument in modern jazz through large and small ensembles, Marcus' straight-ahead playing and compositions swing with fiery intensity balanced with delicate introspection. Self-taught in jazz, his music offers a strong melodic sensibility, draws from elements of his community work, and often incorporates the Middle Eastern influences of his Egyptian-American heritage.

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