Hal Galper - Now Hear This

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:30
Size: 112,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:27)  1. Now Hear This
(6:16)  2. Shadow Waltz
(5:36)  3. Red Eye Special
(9:08)  4. First Song in the Day
(5:12)  5. Mr. Fixit
(6:16)  6. Bemsha Swing
(7:32)  7. First Song in the Day [#][*][Take]

Hal Galper has had a long, distinguished career as a jazz pianist, bandleader, composer and educator. While the pianist has made a flurry of recordings over the past few years, record labels are beginning to mine the wealth of material he produced during the '=1970s. Now Hear This was first issued by Enja in 1977 and subsequently reissued in its original form, though this edition sports a redesigned cover and a bonus track. Galper's inspired quartet includes trumpeter Terumasa Hino, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Tony Williams. The title track, which was recorded by its composer with a different quintet during the same decade, benefits from the stripped-down quartet and a decent piano (something not available for the live Century LP Speak With a Single Voice (1978)and reissued as the Double Time CD Children of the Night).  "Now Hear This" is one of Galper's most infectious works, as the pianist launches into a furious solo, with Hino's contribution followed by Williams' simmering break. The playful "Red Eye Special" suggests a bit of McCoy Tyner's influence, punctuated by Hino's searing trumpet. Galper builds "First Song of the Day" upon a simple repeated riff, intermingling thunderous chords and lightning runs in his solo, while both Hino's and McBee's features are equally full of fire. This expanded reissue includes a previously unreleased alternate take of it, which is a bit shorter but no less intense than the master. In addition to Galper's five originals, he includes a sauntering, sassy interpretation of Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha Swing." This is easily one of Galper's best recordings of the 1970s and very desirable to have in this expanded, brighter sounding 24bit edition. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allaboutjazz.com/now-hear-this-hal-galper-enja-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php

Personnel: Hal Galper: piano; Terumasa Hino: trumpet, flugelhorn; Cecil McBee: bass; Tony Williams: drums.

Now Hear This

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