Harold Danko - Tidal Breeze (SteepleChase, 1996)

Harold Danko, piano
Rich Perry, tenor sax
Scott Colley, bass
Jeff Hirshfield, drums

Recorded October 1996 & April 1995 (one track)

New York City

Engineer: Josiah Gluck

Harold Danko led numerous quartet dates for SteepleChase between 1993 and 2000. All of them included the same quartet members as listed above. When scanning the 11 jewel case spines to find the next Danko CD to play, I tend to treat the quartets as equivalent. But when it came time to write this blog entry, I was astounded by how good Tidal Breeze is: not just better than the other Danko quartets, but also one of the best albums I own (with one small qualification). This re-discovery vindicates my aim to get more intimate with my music by writing about it. 

My previous post for Danko's After the Rain (1994) focuses on his solo interpretations of John Coltrane's music. It established Danko's practice of recording albums dedicated to other artists' music, such as the quartet's This Isn't Maybe... (1999) for Chet Baker, Prestigious (2001) for Eric Dolphy, and Hinesight (2005) for Earl Hines. On Tidal Breeze, Danko offers various rationales for his all-original program. Some are tributes to other jazz artists: "McCoy's Passion" and "Wayne Shorter" being the most obvious ones. Others, such as the title track, are associated with performers like Baker who covered one or more of Danko's compositions. Overall, Tidal Breeze is a celebration of Danko the composer.

The first two tracks are delightful. "Tidal Breeze's" lilting melody is constructed around an ascending figure followed by a descending one. Jeff Hirshfield sustains cymbal ticks on every bar along with Scott Colley's rock-solid bass. The result is a swinging opener that uses block chords for emphasis. 

"Blue Swedish Wildflower" uses a descending figure followed by an ascending one. Rich Perry and Danko seem to improvise the melody, treating the tune as a modal exercise. Whatever the formulas, the first two pieces give the album a strong start.

The two tributes ("Wayne Shorter" and "McCoy's Passion") reveal a deep understanding of the honorees' methods. I am now more aware of Perry's debt to Shorter's style and tone, which are both instantly recognizable. The Tyner tribute modifies the classic "Passion Dance" and features the normally elegant Danko indulging in thunderous, Tyner-esque block chords. Colley is key to the forward momentum of "McCoy's Passion."

"Swift Shifting" and "Soaring Thru Space" are both strong Danko compositions. The former, which Danko describes as a "sneaky blues," is an intelligent piece that seems to blur the boundaries between the jazz club and the conservatory. Its complex chord changes don't abandon the blues so much as they add interest to a venerable jazz form. And it swings! 

"Soaring" is driven by Perry's energy in the theme statement and his solo. I'm accustomed to Perry's normally laconic style, but here he thrusts brightly forward from the outset. Danko takes the cue and is all over the keyboard on his solo. Hirshfield gets in some nice drum fills near the end.

My one qualification about Tidal Breeze is the inclusion of "Personal Cornucopia," which was recorded18 months before the rest of the album. It's an okay piece, and Danko explains his reason for including it (it was never recorded before). But it's not a highlight, and the difference in sound engineering is clearly audible.