A fine post-bop pianist from the East Coast,
Rick DellaRatta alternates standards and originals on this quartet set with bassist Rene Hart, drummer Denis Charles and trumpeter Walt Szymanski. Most unusual is that a few selections (mostly standards) have
DellaRatta taking vocals that sometimes sound eerily close in tone and style to that of
Chet Baker. Although the singing is somewhat derivative, the inventive piano solos are fairly original and the main reason for jazz listeners to acquire this small label release. ~ Scott Yanow