Harold Danko is a quintessential 'musician's musician' whose career spans the transition from the late swing era to modern post-bop. Emerging from Youngstown State University, he quickly became a staple of the New York scene, most notably serving as the pianist for the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and Woody Herman's big band.
His pedigree is impeccable, having worked extensively with icons like Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, and Gerry Mulligan. This background in both large-scale arrangement and intimate cool jazz informs his solo and leader work, which is characterized by harmonic sophistication and a lyrical, almost vocal-like approach to the piano. As a long-time educator at the Manhattan School of Music and Eastman, his influence extends to a generation of modern pianists including Luis Perdomo. Critically, he is lauded for his consistency and his ability to maintain the 'cool' aesthetic of the 1950s within a contemporary harmonic framework. His discography on labels like SteepleChase and Sunnyside represents a high-water mark for thoughtful, understated modern jazz.
Shares lyrical piano phrasing, cool jazz, post-bop, vocal jazz (detail)
Shares cool jazz, post-bop, vocal jazz, library (signature)
Shares cool jazz, swing, post-bop, vocal jazz (signature)
Shares swing, post-bop, cool jazz, vocal jazz (subgenre)
Shares swing, post-bop, cool jazz, library (subgenre)
Shares cool jazz, post-bop, vocal jazz, dry_intimate (signature)
Shares cool jazz, post-bop, vocal jazz, dry_intimate (signature)
Shares cool jazz, post-bop, library, dry_intimate (signature)
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