Jerry Bergonzi first came to national attention during his tenure with
Dave Brubeck in the '70s, as his hard-driving style was the antithesis of his predecessor, alto saxophonist
Paul Desmond. So it's no surprise that he retained a fondness for
Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way," though he's very aggressive in his interpretation of this normally easy-going ballad. The tension continues during
Monk's "Pannonica," though he mellows with his arrangement of "You're My Everything."
Bergonzi contributed two originals, including the driving post-bop "Surrender" that sounds as if it's based on the chord changes to "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," and a pretty Latin ballad "Si, Senora." The variety within this CD adds to its appeal. ~ Ken Dryden