Jeremy McCoy - Press
"You can’t get much more eclectic than this recital... Jeremy McCoy is a lyrical bassist at heart, and his instrument sings sweetly with partners you wouldn’t always expect... Played with sureness and imagination, this is an attractive collection even for people who aren’t bassists" — Strings Magazine
"(...) McCoy has a gorgeous tone and his lyrical phrasing blends effortlessly with the different stops Larkin uses. McCoy’s approach in his articulation, use of vibrato, and sense of style come across as remarkably historically informed; hardly surprising in a musician of his caliber and resume. (...) The fast movements are energetic, dance-like and virtuosic without allowing technique to overshadow the music – every phrase and note is thought out and shaped. (...) McCoy’s performance of the ‘Eccles’, once a regular on bass recitals, is again gorgeously lyrical. (...) The work (Couperin) is a microcosm of different styles from the delicate, somber to the energetic dance all wonderfully realized here with a rich palette of expressive colors. The production here like elsewhere on the disc is detailed, warm and clear, McCoy’s liner notes are informative and one is left hoping it will not be another 8 years before Jeremy McCoy again gathers a group of friends into the recording studio. A first class disc." — Bass World
"Dialogues With Double Bass reveals New York Met bassist Jeremy McCoy in melodic discourse with diverse partners. Rossini’s Duetto opens the disc and finds McCoy and cellist Steven Doane in perfect ensemble. Their unified sense of phrasing and well-matched lushness of tone combine with sparkling dexterity to bring Rossini’s party piece to life... Patitucci harmonizes on six-string, which, allied with McCoy’s magnificent Busan tone, creates a fascinating interplay of bass sounds... Jean Francaix’s Duo Baroque brings the CD to a close. Referring to Classical and Baroque styles, and liberally sprinkled with song fragments, this charming four-movement work highlights the technical artistry of both McCoy and harpist June Han in this disc’s most satisfying timbral combination." — Double Bassist
"The real McCoy: an enterprising and entertaining set of musical conversations led by Jeremy McCoy... It might be too much of a stretch to trace the lyrical quality in Jeremy McCoy’s playing to his post as assistant principal bassist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, especially given that so much of this collection calls upon a variety of string-playing techniques. That orchestra’s famous virtuosity and stylistic flexibility, on the other hand, is traceable at every turn... This thoroughly pleasant programme constantly manages to tweak the ear at just the right moments." — The Gramophone
"McCoy demonstrates not only a full rich sound, but also complete control of articulations and timbres...crisp and evenly balanced sound without losing any of the resonance...The phrasing and tone colors on this piece [Bottesini] are outstanding...with the variety of pieces and styles on this outstanding disc, there is something for every listener." — Bass World
"McCoy is a lively player whose alert bowing and fingering make the instrument sound as agile and sensitive as one usually expects from a cello!" — American Record Guide
"There’s a reason why most people groan at the prospect of listening to solo music for the double bass: it’s because in order to be heard clearly in an ensemble setting, you have to play it up in the high positions, where its tone is least attractive. Bassist Jeremy McCoy says nuts to that. On this lovely collection of baroque sonatas by Bach, Handel, Couperin and others, he spends a lot of time playing down where the bass sounds best... The result is a startlingly beautiful and highly unusual listening experience." — CD Hotlist.com
"... extremely gifted, with technical strength and natural musicality." — Le Droit
"This is a double bass feast, featuring some unusual music in unusual instrumental combinations... All in all, McCoy could not have found a more proficient group of instrumentalists (many of them colleagues from the Met orchestra) to play with; the performances are all excellent... McCoy demonstrates his sensitive musicianship and excellent technique... This disc is recommended for its unusual repertoire and the top-notch performances, excellently recorded, which give it life." — Fanfare
"With a big sound and broad mind to match, McCoy serves up a superb disc...both tracks boast McCoy’s singing tone, bravura bowing and Swiss-time sense... a sonic treat." — Bass Player
"While all the musicians in this concert turned in top notch performances, special mention must be made of bassist McCoy, who plays his large instrument with the facility, fluidity and finesse of a violin." — The Times Herald-Record, Hudson Valley and the Catskills, NY
"[Jon Deak’s “Jack and the Beanstalk”] is a remarkable concerto for double bass, also remarkably played by McCoy." — Le Droit
"The music-making on this CD [Dialogues With Double Bass] is so joyful, varied and well-played that you cannot resist being drawn into each selection... Space does not allow for all the accolades this album deserves other than for me to say this is a must-have CD for everyone’s music library." — American String Teacher
" (...) a memorable musical occasion." — Atlanta Audio Society
"These musicians certainly prove that there are some wonderful stars in opera orchestra pits... Although neither the double bass nor the organ were the instruments for which the sonatas were composed, the listener won’t care because the performances by McCoy and Larkin are magnificent... McCoy plays it (Handel Sonata in C) here with Kevin Murphy at a French double manual harpsichord. They play it with robust tonal colorings and, despite its shaky provenance, it is a beautiful piece that deserves to be heard more often... His (Couperin’s) music is an outstanding example of tonal grace and it is played here with stunning elegance. You really can hear the change in style from the German to the French. The sound on this disc is clear and the engineer was careful to give each instrument the importance it deserves. I really enjoyed both the music and the 11-page booklet full of interesting information that came with the package. I recommend this compact disc to all lovers of Baroque music." — Fanfare
"McCoy is a lively player whose alert bowing and fingering make the instrument sound as agile and sensitive as one usually expects from a cello!" — American Record Guide
"[McCoy] shows his keen interest (one might even term him an agent provocateur) for extending both the virtuosic range and the repertoire of (his) instrument... In these arrangements McCoy does not merely content himself with a mere 'Hmm, so it can be done that way, too' demonstration. Rather, with, the assistance of his colleagues, he makes the transcribed works his own... smartly alert music making... memorable performances..." — Audio Video Club of Atlanta
"McCoy showcases all registers of his steel-stringed 1749 Italian bass, with highpoints that include his haunting melody reading of the andante movement of the Sonata in G major, trills that thrill... and awesome articulation and ornamentation...In brief, an indelible contribution to the classical double bass catalogue." — Bass Player
"Jeremy McCoy proves that this mighty monster will let a great player perform fascinating technical feats and elicit sounds of astonishing beauty and variety...stunning virtuosity and stylistic versatility...This record will leave you smiling with admiration and delight." — amazon.com editorial review
"" (...) played with impressive technical prowess and interpretive authority... Dialogues is an effective project, well conceived and executed.” — Splendid e-zine
"One of the best new CD’s" — Lemur Music
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