“When I Take The Five” by Marc Soucy – A Playful Leap Into Jazz Fusion’s Heart

When I Take The Five

There’s a special kind of energy that can only be captured in a live performance, and Marc Soucy’s “When I Take The Five” is a sparkling example of just that. Recorded in 1983 with bassist Jeff Carano and drummer Ray Lavigne, this track is a rare time capsule that radiates with the spirit of spontaneity and musical exploration. Clocking in as a joyful burst of jazz-rock fusion, the piece blends the cerebral with the whimsical, offering listeners a light-hearted yet intricate musical journey. It’s the sound of a young composer on the brink of discovery, leaning into instinct, curiosity, and groove.

Soucy’s playing here is animated and lyrical, every phrase on the piano brimming with intention yet alive with improvisation. Unlike many of his later works, which lean heavily on organ and synthesizers, particularly in his Antartica pieces, this track is stripped down to acoustic essentials. The piano leads with charm and agility, threading playful melodies through tight rhythmic interplay with Carano’s warm, nimble bass lines and Lavigne’s crisp, responsive drumming. The trio locks in effortlessly, creating a buoyant swing that invites the jazz head and the casual listener to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Marc Soucy’s musical roots run deep. A self-proclaimed piano prodigy who insisted on lessons as a toddler, he was raised in a musically rich environment that nurtured both his technical and emotional instincts. After a classical foundation, his path veered toward composition and genre-hopping experimentation—from progressive rock to electro, eventually to jazz fusion. With a career that includes producing and engineering in Boston’s legendary Renaissance Recording Company and jazz piano studies with Berklee College faculty, Soucy’s musical fluency is vast. But at the core of it is an unwavering commitment to expression, and music, for him, is emotion made audible.

“When I Take The Five” was born when Soucy was studying jazz piano and simultaneously writing progressive rock. The track captures that creative duality, structured enough to showcase compositional maturity, yet loose and alive in its improvisational flourishes. It was, as Soucy describes, the beginning of his life as a composer, and you can hear that sense of emergence in every note. It’s a track that feels like a sketchbook filled with technical confidence and youthful wonder.

Listeners can expect a breezy yet richly layered experience—an invitation into a corner of Soucy’s sonic world where jazz takes the wheel, unencumbered by the electronic textures he would later explore. “When I Take The Five” stands out for its musicality and sincerity. It’s a captured moment, alive with intention and possibility. For fans of jazz fusion and thoughtful composition, this is a hidden gem worth unearthing.

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