Ivory Forest Redux

FIVE STARS Five decades of jazz creation have resulted in Hal Galper's name, especially in the US, surrounded by admiration among jazz fans and respect among music journalists and musicians. In his work as an educator, Galper identifies himself with rare accomplishments. He is one of the founders of the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and his concept "Forward Motion", first published as a series of articles in Downbeat, giving insight into the operation of melody, the secrets of phrasing and offering ways to exercise scales in order to improve performance, gained interest in the world of theorists and musicians. It was no accident that Galper has landed on the teams of Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Joe Williams and Anita O'Day over the years, or Cannonball Adderley and Phil Woods.

Now Origin Records, the official label with which Galper is associated for a long time, published the album recorded in 1979, in the famous Tonstudio Bauer, in Ludwigsburg, Germany. This two-day recording session featured four characters, besides lead pianist, guitarist John Scofield, bassist Wayne Dockery and percussionist Adam Nussbaum. The album program consisted of four compositions by Galper, one by Thelonious Monk "Monk's Mood" and Alan Bernstein/Alvaro Carrillo's "Yellow Days". The recording was made a year after the release of the album "Rough House" by John Scofield's quartet with Galper and Nussbaum in the band. Many concerts in the USA and Europe have caused musicians to achieve a rare, even for such giants, degree of integration, especially in "My Dog Spot", where vital tempo changes come to them with ease and constant vigor. Sewn somewhere deeply echoes "Giant Steps" with the cherry on the cake. Similar to "Rapunzel's Luncheonette," a guitarist post-bop energy with a jazz bullet that's hard to keep up with.

The recording had been unavailable for over 20 years, now under Hal Galper's supervision, the tapes have been remastered and released under the title "Ivory Forest Redux". This allows us to enjoy a reference sound, where each instrument has its own place.