Rich Perry & Harold Danko - Rhapsody (2006)

Tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, who has been active on the jazz scene for several decades in a variety of settings, is the common factor between these two top shelf recordings. The first is a duo date with veteran pianist Harold Danko; the latter features Perry as a member of drummer Christian Finger's international band. Rhapsody is a very appropriate title for the duo meeting of Perry and Danko. The two men, who first played together in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra and have since worked together on many small group recording sessions - typically quartet or duo dates - have no qualms about working their magic on seven of the most frequently played standards. There is no showboating at all, just imaginative yet restrained improvisations upon these familiar themes that never venture too far from the original melodies, even songs like "Star Eyes that all too often seem to be played on autopilot. No matter who is in the lead, the backing musician provides the perfect accompaniment.

Perry's mature tone, while it may not be easily recognizable to many listeners in a blindfold test, is not overly influenced by any one tenor saxophone great. Danko has never sounded better as an accompanist, finding just the right chords behind Perry every time. They also add two familiar (if less frequently performed) compositions: a soft, moving take of Tadd Dameron's "Soultrane and a lush, subdued finale of John Coltrane's "Central Park West that suggests a quiet Manhattan evening after everyone has turned in for the night. ~ Ken Dryden

Personnel: Rich Perry: tenor sax; Harold Danko; piano.