Harold Danko's solo piano tribute to
John Coltrane covers no less than 14 of the late saxophonist's compositions, sticking primarily to works that haven't been played that often by other musicians. The songs primarily come from
Coltrane's Atlantic years, with a few exceptions, such as his richly textured reworking of "Lonnie's Lament," the lush "After the Rain," and a lively blues "Wise One." His arrangement of "Syeeda's Song Flute" is dreamy and lyrical, while the loping "Straight Street" shows traces of
Bud Powell's influence, and "Grand Central" has a definite gospel flavor. Solo jazz piano just doesn't get much better than this. ~ Ken Dryden