E Pluribus Unum - Live in Seattle

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 Coltrane." Even playing it cool, as they do on Galper's lovely "Soliloquy," the trio never sounds precious. Recorded live at last year's Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, this brawny, brainy set concludes with a muscular rip through Bird's "Constellation," the album's perfect summation.