Bill Perkins is a special guest of
the Metropole Orchestra on these studio sessions from 1989 and 1990. Backed by conductor
Rob Pronk's lightly swinging arrangements,
Perkins packs a punch with his effusive tenor sax in "I Wished on the Moon." He switches to flute for "Beautiful Love," which starts slowly before picking up the pace, while
Perkins occasionally calls
Eric Dolphy to mind with his bird-like runs. He is also hip to more contemporary sounds, as he plays soprano sax in the funky "Last Port of Call" (co-written by
Lorraine Feather and Michael Cimbello). But
Bill Perkins saves the best for last with a marvelous soprano sax solo in the exotic, tense arrangement of "Caravan." The strings tend to get a little too prominent in spots, but this is still a very enjoyable CD. ~ Ken Dryden