Still Comin' on Up

The debut by drummer Danny D'Imperio's quintet features a fine group of little-known players (Gary Pribek on alto, trumpeter John Marshall, pianist Steve Ash, bassist Dave Shapiro and the leader) performing bop and hard bop tunes. In addition to Vernon Duke's "Autumn in New York," there are selections by Tadd Dameron, Gil Fuller, Don Menza, Dizzy Gillespie, Sal Nistico and Joe Zawinul, giving one a good idea as to this band's style. To D'Imperio and his sidemen's credit, their performances on this LP do not sound like copies of the past but are creative within the older boundaries. It seems fitting that this was the first new recording made by the V.S.O.P. label, which had up to this point stuck exclusively to reissues from the 1950s. Easily recommended to hard bop fans. ~ Scott Yanow