Danny D'Imperio - Blues for Philly Joe (1992)

Review by Scott Yanow
Drummer Danny D'Imperio's fourth album as a leader is similar to his first three: high-quality hard bop with the emphasis on lesser-known tunes. Using a talented septet (with trumpeter Greg Gisbert, altoist Gary Pribek, tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama, the great bop pianist Hod O'Brien, guitarist Steve Brown, and bassist Dave Shapiro), D'Imperio revives such songs as Duke Pearson's "Tribute to Brownie," Curtis Fuller's "Time Off," and Benny Harris' "Reets and I." Hard bop fans will definitely want all of D'Imperio's well-conceived recordings, including this one.