Danny Lerman - 'Meow Baby"

Meow Baby takes its kitschy album title from a line uttered by the immortally cool Telly Savalas in an episode of Kojak. It’s saxophonist Danny Lerman’s way of giving a playful salute on a record that is as fun, funky and full of attitude as the badass super cop from the 1970’s television series. Lerman aggressively pursues his rhythms and grooves with a vengeance armed with songs that mercilessly deploy inescapable melodies in rapid fire succession that hit their target with precision. Before the holiday break, we sent you the CD, which will be released February 26th.

Lerman co-wrote a dozen songs for his second album, recorded two covers (“No Ordinary Love” and “Imagine”) and reissued a track (“You Take My Breath Away”) from his top 20 debut disc, Danny’s Island. Drummer Tal Bergman (Rod Stewart, Billy Idol, Loreena McKennitt, Herb Alpert, Chaka Khan), who worked on Lerman’s first CD, not only provided exciting and exotic beats for Meow Baby, but he produced ten tracks. A few cuts were produced by seminal urban jazz artist Norman Connors. Lerman’s lethal hit squad was fully loaded with notorious musicians such as Randy Brecker, Hubert Laws, Howard Hewett, Paul Jackson Jr., Bobby Lyle, and Munyungo Jackson.

Since his last album release, Lerman traveled and performed throughout the world, including visits to Turkey, Israel, South Africa, Holland, Venezuela and Mexico. Spending time in different culturally rich locales inspired him creatively. While his music is rooted in contemporary jazz with R&B grooves and pop melodies, Lerman infused Latin, South African, Middle Eastern and World Music sensibilities on Meow Baby. Often he tapped musicians he encountered from his travels to perform on the album, which fostered credibility and authenticity.

Attacking from the start with the in-your-face title cut, Meow Baby packs serious heat. “Summer in a Hummer” is laidback, breezy and chill. An inviting mid-tempo number, “The First Time” simmers before erupting midway through. “No Words” makes an eloquent emotional statement. Laws blows a fiery flute solo on the supercharged “South Beach Serenata,” a song that sets the mood for a Latin fiesta. The first single serviced to radio, “Gotcha!” has a deep-pocketed groove that bursts into a chorus as sweet as one of Kojak’s patented Tootsie Pops. “Snoopy’s Dance” boasts a piano solo Schroeder would be proud of. A rumbling drum and bass groove allows Lerman to flex and conquer on the muscular “Saxsultan.” Audaciously venturing to the outer limits, Lerman’s sax defers the chorus to a searing violin on “Amadeus Kiss.” Highly combustible horns - including Brecker’s trumpet - ignite “Don’t GoGo There” in a scorching jam that results in a five alarm blaze mixing swinging traditional jazz, contemporary jazz fusion and lilting pop. “Baby Goes to Market” flaunts colorful South African rhythms and vocal chants. The cinematic “If Only” is an arrestingly beautiful ballad.

A seasoned performer who has shared concert stages with Herbie Hancock, Sergio Mendes, Richard Elliot, David Benoit and Eric Marienthal, Lerman, who hails from South Bend, Indiana, is anxious to preview the album release with a series of Los Angeles area performances in mid-January. Tour dates for the rest of the U.S. are now being booked.

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