The First Love Song (1988)

About this title: Harold Danko has made many fine CDs and this overlooked session from 1988 is worth searching for. The pianist is assisted by bassist Rufus Reid, the late drummer Mel Lewis, and the extraordinary trumpeter and flügelhornist Tom Harrell (on selected tracks), whose star was beginning to rise at the time of the recording. The title track is an unjustly obscure but very subtle ballad by Bob Brookmeyer, marked by understated playing by the quartet, with Lewis on brushes and Harrell utilizing a mute while Danko and Reid leave plenty of breathing room. The restraints are cut loose for a romp through ... read more

Tracks:

1. The First Love Song [Brookmeyer]
2. Devil May Care [Dorough/Kirk]
3. Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most [Wolf/Landesman]
4. European Passion [Boras]
5. Cliches [Danko/Passman/Ross]
6. Eleanor Rigby [Lennon/McCartney]
7. Swift Shifting [Danko]
8. To Start Again [Danko]
9. Why Did I Chose You [Leonard/Martin]
10. Young at Heart [Richards/Leigh]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.