PERFORMANCE & RECORD REVIEWS
LV's Uptown‚ Friday April 6th, 2007
Hal Galper Trio
Hal Galper- composer and leader
Jeff Johnson- acoustic bass
John Bishop- drums
Hal Galper is a master of progressive jazz. A noted author and educator, he has taught music for many years in several of the top schools in the jazz pantheon, and his touring career has brought him to all corners of the world. What a delight it was to have him here. His bandmates, John Bishop and Jeff Johnson hail from Seattle and constitute the last two thirds of Hal's West Coast band.
"ESP" This first piece was a recognizable theme at first, with eight to sixteen bars in it, not overtly stated, leading to a very long improvisation. Complex chords and clusters, showing Hal"s tremendous power and grace. This is not easy listening. The force of creativity demands effort from the listener, yet the current of beautiful expression offers rich rewards. Always musical, but unpredictable, it makes one wonder how the bass player manages to place his navigational notes.
Wild abandoned runs over changes that are barely discernable, with a conversational meter, make this music emotionally stirring. Very beautiful soloing from Jeff and John. Nice spicy comping from Hal during these solos. Exceptional brushwork in the quiet passages by John Bishop.
"How Deep Is The Ocean"s" well hidden theme, again makes the listener dig to understand how the notes refer to the familiar melody. If the reader has heard John Stowell, this puzzle form of improvisation is familiar. The emotional content of a piece of music is expanded on, and the chord structure is only obliquely referred to, until at the very last the theme is stated, either confirming your suspicions, or your misconceptions. It is a device that provides a deep freedom for the player, while engaging the audience and making for a deeply satisfying listening experience.
"Zen" Very slow and soft contemplative intro statement, with stabbing accent chords, obviously a Galper invention, and this field then accented by more stabbing individual notes over rolling chords from the left hand. The effect is like a zen painter revealing the inner picture on a canvas. This composition seems to have two or more modalities. Lots of block chords. The bass solo starts out as the piano did, with a contemplative feel, and then long tremolo notes, then it picks up into a staccato walking bass line, all over the instrument. The playful strumming chordal accents are Jeff signature element, which he uses very sparingly with great effect. As is often the case with this music, the rhythmic element is loose, more like conversation than a strict marching meter.
"Dear Old Stockholm" Swedish folksong as interpreted by John Coltrane. This familiar tune has stirred the hearts of legions of jazz fans and bound them to the musicians like Coltrane who are able to express this depth. Hal is one of them. Hal plays with the meter, dragging the second of the two note sequence, pulling the bass into a dramatic emphasis, before embarking on piano explorations with masterful arpeggios, clusters and other homage's to our beloved Black Saint, John. Again the meter is flexible, but more discernable in this rendition of the standard, though the chord changes are well hidden until Hal wants us to hear them. He wants us to savor the sublime and deep elements he has uncovered, hiding in the bushes like eggs at an Easter Egg hunt.
There is a strong and engaging personality that makes Hal so enjoyable. He obviously does not consider himself a showman or entertainer, though he does deliver a great show. He definitely plays for himself and his bandmates, and anyone who is willing to stretch their ears to hear the deep significance of this music. During solos, he sometime looks back at the wall, seeming to engage with the art on the wall mare than with the audience. I'd even say he does not distinguish himself from the audience, in an odd way. It is like he is exploring for us all, like a captain on a musical ship, and when he stops to receive our praise he only does so reluctantly, eager to share his next adventure.
"Green Dolphin Street" Angular Solo Exposition of the Theme in an intro before the band enters into the song as a "re-harmonized" version. The meter is again a foil for Hal"s playfulness. There is a bluesy element, seeming to make this elegant European theme more down home. There is no exact reproduction of the melody, but instead an intimation of it, with beautiful rapid runs off meter, adding even more excitement.
Hal's approach to the instrument is very commanding, and he's swinging hard. As in the title of the recent CD released by this Trio, on Origin Records, "Furious Rubato," some of these passages are definitely "furious." The mastery of each of these players is stunning. Jeff Johnson"s articulation is magnificent. There are moments when the band is cooking just right and you can visibly see Hal beaming with delight; the master becomes a young boy at play!
"Naima," The wonderful Coltrane ballad with a fine Latin beat from John. This, a treat for the audience, if the foregoing has been a feast. John is wonderfully adept at the tiny details of dynamics. As Jeff solos, John provides a palette of dozens of detailed sounds from his high hat, and the effect is magnificent.
"Darn That Dream‚"
"Soliloquy‚"
"Valse Cool‚"
There were many more pieces that I wasn't able to identify, but enjoyed thoroughly. This is a room full of very happy people.
Our neighbor to the North, Seattle, has many fine musicians, but few as adept as Jeff Johnson and John Bishop. Each is a leader in his own right, and John is deeply involved with recording with his Origin Records, www.originarts.com, , and with the online magazine, www.allaboutjazz.com. AAJ is a revelation for jazz fans and players. Jeff Johnson has a great website at www.jazzbassist.com.
Jim Corcoran
*** May 24, 2007
Hal Galper, Jeff Johnson & John Bishop - Furious Rubato
O's Notes: Rubato is defined as bending and shaping the tempo without robbing it of its own basic pulse. It is improvising at extremes without losing touch. This trio, Halon piano, Jeff on bass and John playing drums pushes hard but maintains a thread of reason in the rhythms. It is free jazz, a mix of new and old but with daring exchanges all the way. They slow the pace on "Zen", keeping more order in the phrasing. This is more the exception, as the balance of the set is Furious Rubato, regardless of tempo. Among the best is their arrangement of "Naima".
D. Oscar Groomes
O's Place Jazz Newsletter
*** Pianist successfully charts new course.
Veteran pianist Hal Galper's "Agents Of Change" is an intense, uncompromising example of peerless free playing and collective improvisation......
Six years ago the pianist broke up his own successful, critically acclaimed trio, and this recently released CD featuring bassist Tony Marino and drummer Billy Mintz is the first recorded evidence of his new direction. It features three of Galper's surprise-filled originals, a gorgeous reading of Wayne Shorter's E.S.P. and daring reinventions of "Dear Old Stockholm," "How Deep Is The Ocean," and "On Green Dolphin Street." It's a powerful statement by an underated jazz genius.
Times Colonist: Joseph Blake
*** Agents of Change-what a perfect name for pianist Hal Galper's new trio CD! Absent from the recording scene for six years, Galper's newly clothed music is warmly welcomed as he is partnered with rhythm soulmates Tony Marino and Billy Mintz in an adventure of fresh perspectives applied to modern jazz classics ("E.S.P." and "Dear Old Stockholm"), standards ("How Deep Is The Ocean"), and ("On Green Dolphin Street"), plus three Galper originals. With innate moment to moment interplay, the threesome are change agents of the first order, shaking up some values and ears.
Herb Wong: International Jazz Educators Journal
*** Pianist Hal Galper spent most of the '80s playing in Phil Woods' quintet, and he spent three years on the road with Cannonball Adderley. He's also worked with Chet Baker and Stan Getz, and he cites bop pioneer Bud Powell as a major influence; so you might expect on his latest offering, the piano trio Agents of Change, some straightahead bebop sounds. But there's a surprise in store: a change.
Playing in a "rubato" style, immersing himself in some time-tested standards and three of his own compositions, Galper and company stretch out in the direction of freedom on some deep explorations of familiar melodies. Agents of Change is a very fine and quite unique piano trio outing.
The company Galper keeps here tells a part of the story: bassist Tony Marino was recently heard on Ron Thomas' fluid and exploratory set Doloroso (Art of Life, 2006); drummer Billy Mintz shined on the marvelous free outing Beautiful You (Origin, 2004). On well-known tunes like "On Green Dolphin Street" and "How Deep is the Ocean," the trio delves deep, gets to the core, and then stretches it out. The disc opens with the familiar "E.S.P.," from the pen of Wayne Shorter, beginning in a recognizable mode before the trio moves in the direction of freedom.
The Miles Davis/John Coltrane vehicle "Dear Old Stockholm" is a highlight. The musicians play out the gorgeous melody with a free flowing intensity, turning it into a personal exploration without ever losing the essense of the tune. On Irving Berlin's "How Deep is the Ocean," they step lightly and abstractly into the melody, then click into a bouncy groove, sounding almost straightahead. Galper's "Waiting for Chet," a lovely eleven-minute rumination on his old bandmate, trumpeter Chet Baker, wanders introspectively.
Dan McClenaghan: AAJ.com
*** Agents Of Change
This is an exceptional trio foray, confirming the values of the traditional jazz piano trio with real rhythmic power.
Stuart Broomer, Toronto Life / CODA
*** Agents Of Change
Classic jazz piano trio with three masters at the top of their game.
Hans-Bernd Kittlaus, JazzPodium magazine
*** Agents Of Change
A top shelf release with a far-reachin' inventiveness that brings a new perspective to long established, set-in-its-ways material. "On Green Dolphin Street" is a case in point, and indicative of this fine release --- full of sounds of surprise.
Peter L. Poses, Ph.D., LMFT, KRFC HomeGrown Community Radio
EDUCATIONAL REVIEWS ".. as usual, two of the best and most to-the-point classes of the semester."
Dave Demsey
Director of Jazz Studies
WILLIAM PATERSON COLLEGE
; ***
"..thank you for the exciting contribution you made to our students at your recent clinic here. We are still getting comments about the positive impact of your presentation. I was personally inspired by many of your teaching ideas. We hope the opportunity arises to have you visit our campus in the near future."
Vince Maggio
Director, Jazz Keyboard Studies
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
***".. you will be carrying with you the thanks of those many jazz musicians who attended your workshop, last week. Not only was your message a profoundly inspirational one, but we found some highly practical suggestions as to how to become empowered to carve out successful careers. We hope that... you can pay us another visit with more on the same subject..."
Herb Storfer
President / Chairman
JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
***
" ...I especially appreciated the professional, yet personalized manner you exhibited towards us and towards the details of your visit. We also very much appreciate your interest in our high school students andthe encouragement you all demonstrated towards them. ...they've responded by taking their playing up a few levels. .. (they) have given you rave reviews. Hopefully we can can have the group back at Milton some day."
Bob Sinicrope
Jazz Director
MILTON ACADAMY
***
"With my 1992 Jazz Study Fellowship I studied with pianist Hal Galper. Mr Galper is an excellent teacher, ... these lessons really opened me up to a lot of new concepts. ".. I am very Grateful to have had the opportunity to study privately with a master musician of Mr. Galper's caliber.
Richard J. Stone
N.E.A. GRANTEE*** ".. my students are still talking about your clinic. They all say it was the most honest and informative lecture we've had at the school. We look forward to having you back."
Bob Symer
Band Director
PORTAGE HIGH SCHOOL*** "Jazz Educators find Hal (Galper) for one of the most stimulating clinic/performances experience extant!"
Dr. Herb Wong
Past President
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JAZZ EDUCATORS
*** "Hal.. is a wealth of knowledge and is rare in the jazz experience...(he) knows how to give out all the right information. A rare individual indeed!"
Jamey Aebersold
Director
SUMMER JAZZ WORKSHOPS*** "Hal's Berklee clinic on performance anxiety... had a fascinating psychological/physiological grounding I rarely find...."
Andrew Taylor
Managing Editor
BERKLEE TODAY MAGAZINE*** "...one of the most well crafted, concentrated... workshops on the subject of what happens in a jazz quintet that I have ever witnessed."
Win Hinkle,
Editor
LETTER FROM EVANS MAGAZINE
Educational Publications: “The Touring Musician, A Small Business Approach To Booking Your Band On The Road”
ALFRED PUBLISHING, INC.
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"Forward Motion, " Rhythmic and Melodic Forward Motion, "and "Forward Motion and Chromatics"
DOWN BEAT MAGAZINE
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"The Social Contract"
DOWN BEAT MAGAZINE
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"Melody and Embellishment"
DOWN BEAT MAGAZINE
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"Energy, Stage-Fright and Relaxation"
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ EDUCATORS JOURNAL
BERKLEE TODAY
PIANO GUILD NOTES
MUSIC PERFORMANCE RESOURCES
ROCKNEWS
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"Thoughts on Jazz Education&qu; ot;
LETTER FROM EVANS
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"Jazz In Academia, Another Look"
JAZZ NOTES MAGAZINE
NEW YORK STATE-IAJE NEWSLETTER
JAZZ CHANGES MAGAZINE, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF JAZZ_________________________
"Radical Versus Incremental Growth.&quo; t;
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ EDUCATORS JOURNAL
NEW YORK STATE-IAJE NEWSLETTER_________________________
"The Challenge From The Past" (Revised)
JAZZ PLAYER MAGAZINE
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“Playing in Half Time”
LEJAZZ NETZINE
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“Developing Style, Part 1“
JAZZ IMPROV MAGAZINE
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“Managing Tour Routing”
JAZZ EDUCATORS JOURNAL
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“The Jazz Masters Guild, Part 1”
JAZZ CHANGES MAGAZINE
MUSIC PUBLICATIONS Jazz Piano Voicings & Comping, Jamey Aebersold
Original Compositions, Straight Ahead Jazz Fakebook
Piano Score ( "If I Didn't Care" ), The Piano Stylist
FACULTY (Selected) New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music,1986-Current
Purchase Conservatory, Current
William Paterson College, Fall Lecture Series, Current
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camps 1980- 1995
Bud Shank Jazz Camp 1992- 1994
Stanford University Jazz Camp 1991
International Visiting Lecturer to over one hundred Colleges and Universities.
AWARDS Artists Diploma: Berklee College of Music
Distinguished Alumnus Award: Berklee College of Music
IAJE Certificates of Appreciation: 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996
Harvard University Certificate of Appreciation: 1989
With the Phil Woods Group:
Since 1980, placed in the top three positions in the Down Beat Readers Poll for Best Acoustic Jazz Group, winning first place in 1985.
Since 1980, placed in the top three positions in the Down Beat Critics Poll for Best Acoustic Jazz Group, winning first place in 1988 and 1989.
In 1982, "Birds Of A Feather" was nominated for a Grammy.
In 1983, "Live At The Vanguard" won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Group (Acoustic) as well as the Grand Pix Du Disc of France.
In 1985, "Integrity: was voted Best International Jazz Record by the Italian Critics Poll.
In 1985, The group won the Golden Feather Award.
In 1987, The group won the National Association Of Jazz Educators Poll.
Hal Galper's Trio:
"Invitation To A Concert" won #2 position in the Jazz Times Critics Poll of the top ten recordings of 1990.
"Redux '78" won #5 position in the Jazz Times Critics Poll of1991.
"Best of '91 Performance", #4 position in top five, Earshot Magazine's Critics Choice.
"Best of '91 Performance #8 position in the top ten, The Boston Globe.
"1996 Award For Outstanding Service to Jazz Education" IAJE
Mr. Galper's composition :"Gotham Seranade" won Billboard magazine's Certificate Of Achievement in 1990 & 1991. He has over one-hundred original compositions recorded.
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT National Endowment Of The Arts.
Lila Wallace-Readers Digest Foundation
Arts International Fund For U.S. Artists
The New England Foundation Of The Arts
National Jazz Service Organization
New York State Council Of The Arts
Delaware Arts Alliance
Arts Midwest
Mid-America Arts Alliance
New England Foudation Of The Arts
Southern Arts Federation
Western States Arts FederationMeet The Composers Fund
galper@worldnet.att.net