Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
) is an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
pianist.
Danko attended
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University (YSU or Youngstown State) is a public university in Youngstown, Ohio. It was founded in 1908 and is the easternmost member of the University System of Ohio.
The university is composed of six undergraduate colleges an ...
. Among his credits are work in the
big band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...
s of
Woody Herman
Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...
and
Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists".
Biography
Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, U ...
/
Mel Lewis
Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American jazz drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen Grammy Award nominations.
Biography
Early years
Lewis was ...
, as well as smaller ensembles with
Gerry Mulligan
Gerald Joseph Mulligan (April 6, 1927 – January 20, 1996), also known as Jeru, was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, composer and arranger. Though primarily known as one of the leading jazz baritone saxophonists—playing the instrum ...
,
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Baker earned much attention and ...
and
Lee Konitz
Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist.
He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...
. He worked often with
Rich Perry
Rich Perry is an American jazz tenor saxophonist from Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio.
Perry attended Bowling Green State University for a year before moving to New York. He toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1975 and with The Thad Jones ...
in the 1990s and also played with
Rufus Reid
Rufus Reid (born February 10, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American jazz bassist, educator, and composer.
Biography
Reid was raised in Sacramento, California, where he played the trumpet through junior high and high school. Upon graduation ...
,
Kirk Lightsey
Kirkland "Kirk" Lightsey (born February 15, 1937, Detroit, Michigan) is an American jazz pianist.
Biography
Lightsey had piano instruction from the age of five and studied piano and clarinet through high school. After service in the Army, Lights ...
,
Jeff Hirshfield
Jeffrey Lee Hirshfield (born August 22, 1955) is an American jazz drummer.
Hirshfield was born in New York City. He studied under Ed Soph. He worked for the Joffrey Ballet in 1976–1977 and then played with Mose Allison (1977–1979). During th ...
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool".
Baker earned much attention and ...
*''
Once Upon a Summertime
"Once Upon a Summertime" is the title of the American version (with lyrics from Johnny Mercer) of a French song written by Michel Legrand, Eddie Barclay and Eddy Marnay.
The French original is La valse des lilas.
Notable recordings
*Blossom D ...
Thad Jones
Thaddeus Joseph Jones (March 28, 1923 – August 20, 1986) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader who has been called "one of the all-time greatest jazz trumpet soloists".
Biography
Thad Jones was born in Pontiac, Michigan, U ...
and
Mel Lewis
Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American jazz drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen Grammy Award nominations.
Biography
Early years
Lewis was ...
*''
The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet
''The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet'' is a live album by the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Quartet recorded in 1977 in Miami and released on the Artists House label in 1978.
'' (Artists House, 1978)
With
Lee Konitz
Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist.
He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...
*''
Yes, Yes, Nonet
''Yes, Yes, Nonet'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lee Konitz's Nonet recorded in 1979 and released on the Danish SteepleChase label.Dovetail'' (Sunnyside, 1983)
*'' Ideal Scene'' (Soul Note, 1986)
*'' The New York Album'' (Soul Note, 1988)
*'' Dearly Beloved'' (SteepleChase, 1996)
*''
RichLee!
''RichLee!'' is an album by saxophonists Lee Konitz and Rich Perry recorded in 1997 and released on the Danish SteepleChase Records, SteepleChase label.
Critical reception
In ''JazzTimes'', Harvey Siders wrote: "''RichLee!'' is filled with conver ...
'' (SteepleChase, 1997) with
Rich Perry
Rich Perry is an American jazz tenor saxophonist from Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio.
Perry attended Bowling Green State University for a year before moving to New York. He toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1975 and with The Thad Jones ...