E Pluribus Unum - Live in Seattle

...the most complex, daring, exhilarating music of Galper's career.
Thomas Conrad, JazzTimes

Through a trio of new recordings over the past 4 years, pianist Hal Galper has redefined himself as a player and musical visionary and created a stunning collection of bold piano trio music. With his regular working group of kindred spirits, bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop, Galper again reimagines standards and adds his own compositional voice to a set of musical explorations recorded live at the 2009 Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle. "Hal Galper excels in his highly dramatic improvisations as a soloist... He plays wild capers; sudden flashes of brilliance tumbling over each other temperamentally, individual phrases sparkle effortlessly away..." Mannheimer Morgen, Germany

Production Info:

Recorded by Reed Ruddy, live at the
Earshot Jazz Festival, Seattle, WA
October 23 & 24, 2009
assisted by Steffan Gregory
Mixed by Reed Ruddy at Robert Lang Studio, Seattle
assisted by Layne McKay
Mastered by Mark Guenther, Seattle Disc Mastering
Artist photography by Daniel Sheehan
Cover design by John Bishop

Reviews of E Pluribus Unum - Live in Seattle

Audiophile Audition (Ethan Krow)
Hal Galper has often worked best with small bands. He flourishes when working with a simple trio of piano, with drum and bass, especially in the last few decades. On his latest release with Origin E Pluribus Unum: Live In Seattle he reunites with bassist Jeff Johnson from 2006's Furious Rubato and brings in drummer John Bishop for a wonderful night ...

The Denver Post (Bret Saunders)
I hadn't thought of Hal Galper in a long time. There were a couple of records showcasing his flawless piano technique that I had discovered at my college radio station in the '80s. I remembered that he was touring with saxophonist Phil Woods for a while. But for whatever reasons, I hadn't heard his music, other than an occasional cut on the r ...

All About Jazz (Dan McClenaghan)
Pianist Hal Galper began his journey into "rubato" playing early on in the new millennium, after a quite vibrant career in the mainstream, playing and recording with the likes of all-star alto saxophonists Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley, legendary trumpeter Chet Baker and guitarist John Scofield. It hasn't always been a smooth ride. At a show w ...

Rifftides (Doug Ramsey)
You won't be hearing Galper on your favorite easy listening station. The past few years, the pianist has used sonic density, astringent harmonies, massive technique and powerful swing to build intricate edifices. Galper's music is demanding beyond even the muscular bebop he played when he was the pianist in Phil Woods' quintet. The experienced list ...

JazzTimes (Bill Milkowski)
A good candidate for JT's Overdue Ovation profile, masterful 72-year-old pianist Hal Galper has been an outstanding improviser on the scene since his apprenticeship with Chet Baker during the mid-'60s. He was a member of Cannonball Adderley's last quintet from 1973 to 1975 and in 1978 led a boppish quintet featuring Mike and Randy Brecker befor ...

Jazziz, Summer 2010 (Bob Weinberg)
There's nothing delicate about this robust trio led by pianist Hal Galper. Negotiating tangled, knotty skeins of melody, harmony and rhythm, Galper, bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop vigorously comb through Galper-penned dazzlers such as "Rapunzel's Luncheonette," and apply the same spirited precision to Ellington's "Take the Coltr ...

JazzChicago.net (Brad Walseth)
Recorded live at the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, E Pluribus Unum is a true triumph of piano trio jazz. Backed by veteran bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop, pianist Galper displays an incredible array of jaw-dropping keyboard skills as the trio performs four original compositions and three interesting covers. A stunning version of ...

New York City Jazz Record (Ken Dryden)
Hal Galper has long been a part of the jazz scene, having recorded extensively as a leader over the past four decades and appearing on sessions by Sam Rivers, Phil Woods, Cannonball Adderley, Lee Konitz and Chet Baker, among others. Galper began with classical piano studies at an early age, spent time at Berklee and absorbed much from several Bosto ...

All Music Guide (Ken Dryden)
Hal Galper's working trio with bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop has broken free of the typical expectations of a piano trio. Recorded over two days at the 2009 Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Galper challenges the crowd to join them in their explorations. The pianist's wonderfully abstract approach to the venerable standard "How De ...

Jazzmozaïek - Belgium (Marc Van de Walle )
This live recording from Seattle in 2009 shows Galper at his best. With a lot of energy and a certain theatricality (in the positive sense of the word, Galper is not an exhibitionist), his four original compositions set high demands on the group, but they follow and support the pianist perfectly. Even more: they add value. Their solos fit seamlessl ...