Michael Marcus (musician)

Michael Marcus (August 25, 1952) is an American jazz clarinetist and saxophonist. He plays B♭ & A clarinets, bass clarinet; sopranino, soprano, tenor, baritone, bass, and C melody saxophones, stritch (straight alto) saxophone, saxello, bass flute, tárogató & alto tarogato, and octavin.

In 1991 Enja released Under the Wire, his debut album as a leader. He has worked with artists including: Albert King, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Frank Lowe, Henry Grimes, Jaki Byard, Rahn Burton, Vince Wallace, Fred Hopkins, Denis Charles, Jay Rosen, Tarus Mateen, Perry Robinson, Warren Smith and Edgar Bateman to name a few. Marcus and Ted Daniel comprise Duology, which has collaborated with Andrew Cyrille and Henry Grimes. With Sonny Simmons, he is the co-leader of The Cosmosamatics.

Michael was rewarded an individual performance grant from the NEA (National Endowment of the Arts)-composing for a string quartet in conjunction with his original music.

As leader

 * Under the Wire [Enja Records],1990
 * Here At! (Soul Note Records), 1993
 * Ithem (Ayler Records) 1994
 * Reachin' (Justin Time Records), 1996
 * This Happening (Justin Time) 1997 w Jaki Byard
 * Involution (Justin Time, 1998) w/Jaki Byard Trio
 * Live in N.Y. (Soul Note, 1999)
 * In the Center of it All (Justin Time) 2000
 * Sunwheels (Justin Time) 2001
 * Blue Reality (Soul Note) 2002
 * Speakin Out (Drimala) 2002
 * Soulifications (Soul Note) 2005
 * The Magic Door (Not Two) 2007
 * Lotus Symphony (Not Two) 2008
 * For Yes! (Not Two) 2010
 * Elements in Candor (For Tune) 2016
 * Stone Jump (Not Two), 2021
 * Abstractions in Lime Caverns (ESP-Disk'), 2022

"The Cosmosamatics" w/ Sonny Simmons
 * The Cosmosamatics (Boxholder, 2001)
 * The Cosmosamatics II (Boxholder, 2002)
 * Live at Banlieues (Bleu Regard, 2003)
 * Three (Boxholder, 2004)
 * Reeds & Birds (Not Two, 2004)
 * Magnitudes (Soul Note, 2005)
 * Zetrons (Not Two, 2005)
 * Free within the Law (Not Two, 2008)
 * Jazz-Maalika (Saptak, 2013)

"Duology" w/ Ted Daniel
 * Duology ( Boxholder) 2007
 * Golden Atoms ( Soul Note ) 2008
 * Duology w/ Andrew Cyrille (Jazz Werkstatt ) 2011
 * Duology w/ Henry Grimes ( Ujjama ) 2019


 * The Saxemble w/ Frank Lowe, James Carter (Qwest/Warner)


 * N.Y. Clarinet Society w/ Perry Robinson (FSR Records)

Blue Reality Quartet "Ella's Island"(Mahakala) 2022
 * Blue Reality Quartet w/Joe McPhee'/Warren Smith/ Jay Rosen '' (Mahakala) 2021