Spring Garden celebrates the abundant musical seeds planted more than a century ago by Igor Stravinsky in the Rite of Spring. Danko’s liner notes reveal his long-standing fascination with Stravinsky’s masterpiece and details involved in the creation and recording of this ambitious project.
“While he has arrived at his own sound, there's still a sense of adventurousness and discovery about Danko's approach to music …. Danko is fundamentally a deeply lyrical and swinging pianist, who combines the virtues of inside and outside playing, and he is still perfecting his music, learning new ways of approaching it. It's a process that started long time ago.” (Jakob Baekgaard - AAJ)
“This album is a true sleeper. The date is beautifully planned and recorded...”, commented Thomas Conrad of JazzTimes on the first “Oatts & Perry” (SCCD 31588) released in 2006.
Following the equally highly acclaimed sequel “Oatts & Perry II” (SCCD 31689) of 2010 this latest addition to Harold Danko’s favourite project proves again the pianist/leader Danko’s endless ideas to keep the perfect conversation going between Dick Oatts (alto) and Rich Perry (tenor), arguably the two best on the scene today.
All over the world, millions of mothers, fathers and grandparents get their children to sleep by the pacifying ritual of singing and rocking the infant or toddler. “Slaap, kindje slap”, for example, is sung in the Netherlands, “Baju, bajuschki, baju” in Russia, and “Thula baba” in South Africa.
Singers and instrumentalists from all over the world have recorded the most beautiful lullabies from their home countries exclusively for this CD collection. The accompaniment by tradition instruments highlights the original sound of these songs. The CD contains lullabies from Armenia, Belgium, China, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lebanon, New Zealand, North America, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, South Africa, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary and a lullaby in Yiddish.
With this recording the prize-winning “Liederprojekt”, promoting singing with children, is being continued and expanded by an international collection.
Another culmination of Harold Danko’s half a century-long fascination and study of Igor Stravinsky’s groundbreaking ballet music The Rite of Spring (world-premiered in 1913 in Paris causing a riot among the audience). Danko’s previous release SCCD 31909 Spring Garden, his first attempt of exploring and adapting Stravinsky’s material with Danko’s original quartet of the 90’s drew a slew of applaud from critics and public alike. This new album shares with us his interpretation in a solo setting.
“Each excerpt on Spring Garden is expanded into often unexpected directions, building upon the late maestro’s genius, with Danko taking rhythmic and melodic liberties, transforming this century-old music into compelling jazz.” (Ken Dryden – New York City Jazz Records on SCCD 31909)
Trillium is Harold Danko’s third album to extract source materials from Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, arguably one of the most influential music of the 20th century.
Danko then let this unique trio with Perry (tenor saxophone) and Knuffke (cornet) execute the compositions to perfection.
“The beauty of listening to this recording is detecting how Danko has incorporated snippets of Stravinsky’s masterpiece into his equally striking compositions.”
Ken Dryden – NYCJR on Rite Notes SCCD31931)
