New Autumn

By 1995, pianist Harold Danko had led the same quartet for several years and his musicians had really mastered and grown into Danko's complex originals. Danko and tenor saxophonist Rich Perry (both of whom had developed fairly original voices) often sound as if they are thinking alike during this CD and their mutual intuitiveness is a vital element in interpreting the tricky and constantly surprising music; bassist Scott Colley and drummerer Jeff Hirshfield are quite alert in support. The dividing line between composition and improvisation on some of the less conventional songs is sometimes difficult to find and there are many occasions where the lead voices (and sometimes all four musicians) are soloing together or at least freely commenting on each other's flights. Some performances swing while others float. New Autumn is a subtle yet explorative recording that will grow on most listeners over time.