We’re always excited when a Syos artist shows up at Tiny Desk, and this time it’s Todd Marcus. Tod’s joins Colombian-Canadian artist Lido Pimienta, whose vocals and vision infuse the session with dynamic range and emotional depth.
Todd Marcus is one of the few jazz artists in the world to focus primarily on the bass clarinet. His style blends straight-ahead jazz with Middle Eastern influences and classical colors, all while reimagining the role of the instrument in modern ensembles. A self-taught composer and player, he leads both the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra and Todd Marcus Quintet, performing his original music and arrangements across the U.S. and abroad.
Offstage, he’s the co-founder of Intersection of Change, a nonprofit dedicated to community revitalization and the arts in his native Baltimore.
But let’s talk sound.
Todd Marcus plays his own Signature bass clarinet mouthpiece, built with an extra-high baffle (the first of its kind on a clarinet mouthpiece), and gives Todd the power and projection needed to cut through a full ensemble even without a mic. It also features a trapezoidal chamber, which retains the natural warmth and resonance of the bass clarinet's tone.
“My Syos offers bass clarinetists a unique range of dynamics that are crucial to perform in acoustic settings without a microphone. It has unmatched power and projection necessary to be heard when the band gets louder and tempos are faster but it also has a flexibility that retains the natural warmth of the bass clarinet's tone.”
🎯 Explore Todd’s mouthpiece → Todd Marcus Signature Bass Clarinet Mouthpiece
In this article, Todd explains how experimenting with air flow, internal geometry, and baffle design reshaped his sound and expanded what was possible on the instrument. For players looking to project without sacrificing warmth, this piece is a serious option.
🌀 Want more Tiny Desk moments with Syos artists?
From jazz to genre-bending multi-instrumentalists, many Syos players have brought their sound to the NPR stage. We rounded up some of our favorites here:
