Members of Palatinate‘s editorial team are creating Spotify playlists formed of ten recommended songs. Martha Lily Dean Selects james copus’ ‘Early Hours’ as one of the top tracks.
James Copus – ‘Early Hours’
I first came across James Copus on Instagram, where his tasteful improvisations often inspired my own practice. Copus is known for his work as a session musician, with a recent endeavour including recording for Jacob Collier’s Djesse Vol. 3. Therefore, I found myself excited for the release of his long-awaited debut album Dusk. Each of the seven tracks are written by Copus for jazz quartet, and all provide the listener with a plethora of originality and experimental flair, with his quartet completed by Tom Cawley (keys), Conor Chaplin (bass), and Jason Brown (drums). The opening track, ‘Early Hours’ reveals an enigmatic sense of melancholy to the album; Copus plays with impressive precision from his opening notes. With an impeccably clean tone that carries the listener through the song with ease, Copus is truly an incredibly refreshing young jazz artist and a musician to watch. One of the most musically exhilarating albums of the year so far, Copus’ writing is both lyrical and vibrant, providing a new spin to the modern jazz scene.