Airegin Revisited

...a moment of thrilling uncertainty, slightly airborne and stretched out in unusual shapes and motions, and (the moment extended) out for the length of a song, each and every time.
Wondering Sound

Following up on what's been called the veteran pianist's finest recording to date, 2011's "Trip the Light Fantastic," Galper and his trio offer another exhilarating set of music, further defining the very personal "rubato" style of collective performance they've developed over the last six years. From an intimate "Embraceable You," to the closing, high-flying take of Sonny Rollins' "Airegin," Galper, bassist Jeff Johnson, and drummer John Bishop, display a singular group aesthetic, fully grounded in the language of bop while always in pursuit of new possibilities.

"Bishop's drums sizzle and detonate unpredictably; Johnson's bass rumbles; and the piano notes careen with a scintillating, headlong freedom..." - All About Jazz.

Production Info:

Produced by Hal Galper, Jeff Johnson & John Bishop
Recorded by Chris Spencer at Sophie's Hat Studio, Seatte, WA on April 4, 2012
Mixed by Floyd Reitsma at Studio Litho, Seattle
Mastered by Dan Dean, DDP, Mercer Island, WA
Cover design & layout by John Bishop

Reviews of Airegin Revisited

Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
A veteran of the neo classic Blue Note era via his long affiliation with Sam Rivers, Galper rounds up some free jazz pals to round out his trio that takes us back to the good old days. Following up what might have been his career record, Galper and his pals keep it well away from the church basement with a set that has such a solid clarity of purp ...

emusic Review (Dave Sumner)
Listening to the Hal Galper Trio perform is like watching fireflies? they?re a swarm of activity as they bounce off one another and flit through the air, but ostensibly pretty as they light up the night. Galper has his own sound. It?s not dramatically different from the pack, but its singular to him, and its never boring, even when it flirts with a ...

All About Jazz (Dan McClenaghan)
Hal Galper's Airgen Revisited is exhilarating. The pianist has been working at his artistry for more than a half century, and he is moving surely into the "elder statesman of jazz" category, riding the furious wave of several distinctive and idiosyncratic trio recordings. Galper, like alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and pianist Martial Solal, has go ...

Earshot Jazz (Sam Landsman)
Veteran pianist Hal Galper simultaneously incorporates fresh and classic elements of the piano-trio jazz idiom on Airegin Revisited, his latest release with Origin Records. Bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop accompany Galper, continuing their six-year history as a trio. The record is characterized by a unique style of rubato play, wher ...

Audiophile Audition (Pierre Giroux)
**** - 4 Stars An animated and unique offering. Tempo Rubato is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist. The Hal Galper Trio is the principal exponent of this musical style which is front and center of their newest release ...

All Music Guide (Ken Dryden)
**** - 4 Stars Hal Galper's Rubato playing style, which evolved over a period of years before the pianist made it the centerpiece of his group's performances, has confounded some listeners with its complex, overlapping rhythms where the musicians seem to be playing independently of one another. Yet those who focus on the interaction will recogni ...

The Jazz Word (John Barron)
For a few years now, veteran pianist Hal Galper has been experimenting with an approach to jazz improvisation that he refers to as "rubato." This concept, as demonstrated on a series of recordings for Origin Records, uses familiar pieces and song forms and takes rather spontaneous liberty with tempo and tune structure. This may not seem like anyt ...

Just Jazz Newsletter (Bob Bernotas)
?Rubato? is the concept. ?Playing without intention? is how they achieve it. Pianist Hal Galper and his colleagues, bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop, collectively and intuitively stretch time, expand harmony, and invent melody on what Galper aptly describes as a journey with no road map and no destination. Don?t ask any questions, don?t ...

Jazz Society of Oregon (George Fendel)
There?s some real deep, thoughtful stuff going on here. Right off the bat, it seems that Hal Galper has taken a turn in the road since his more straight ahead days on the Concord label. His music is more angular, with increased emphasis on creative and sometimes complex improvisation and less attention to melody. I gotta admit, it?s often compellin ...

Jazziz (Philip Booth)
Hal Galper, the well-traveled pianist, educator and author, is best-known for his decade-long residency with the Phil Woods Quintet. In 1990, he began earnestly focusing on the art of the trio, heading a touring group with bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer Steve Ellington. With John Bishop replacing Ellington in recent years, Galper has worked on re ...