Hal Galper & the Youngbloods: Live at the Cota Jazz Festival

Straightahead / Mainstream Jazz
premiera polska: 2017-09-08
kontynent: Ameryka Północna
kraj: USA
opakowanie: digipackowe etui
opis:
multikulti.com - ocena * * * * 1/2:
Amerykański pianista Hal Galper (rocznik 1938) z nieznanych mi przyczyn pozostaje muzykiem drugiego szeregu. Współpracownik Cheta Bakera, Stana Getza, Joe Williamsa, Anity O'Day i Chris Connor, kilkuletni członek słynnego Cannonball Adderley Quintet i stały członek Phil Woods Quintet nigdy nie zaznał sławy swoich docenianych współpracowników. Od czasu, gdy usłyszałem płytę "A New Conception" Sama Riversa (1966, Blue Note), wiedziałem, że mam o czynienia z zawodnikiem wagi ciężkiej!
Najnowsza płyta Hal Galper & the Youngbloods "Live at the Cota Jazz Festival" jest tego potwierdzeniem.

Blisko 60 minut pełnej wigoru, jazzowej interakcji, soczystej opowieści zaprawionych we wspólnym spontanicznym muzykowaniu jazzmanów. Są to muzycy nie oglądający się na płytowe kontrakty i zobowiązania dnia następnego, wychodzący na scenę i dający z siebie wszystko. Dlatego też nie mają czasu na działania autopromocyjne, bez których nie sposób odnieść sukces rynkowy. Można śmiało powiedzieć, że jest to postawa rzadko spotykana, ale dopóki takie "dinozaury" będą w muzyce jazzowej obecne, dopóty będzie ona tętnić życiem, a sukcesy komercyjne okrzykniętego przez media jazzowym prorokiem Kamasiego Washingtona włóżmy między bajki.

Trzy kilkunastominutowe kompozycje lidera plus "Goodbye" Gordona Jenkinsa zamknięte w niespełna 60 minutach, to istota piękna jazzu, świetne solówki wyśmienitych instrumentalistów, bez zbędnego gwiazdorzenia i zbędnych przepychanek, bezpretensjonalne granie, wspaniałe muzyczne porozumienie i wielkie doświadczenie. Ot, prosta muzyka, nic odkrywczego, ale życia jest tu tyle, że dałoby się obdzielić nim wiele jazzowych zespołów.
autor: Andrzej Majak
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Editor's info:
Pianist Hal Galper’s series of trio recordings over the last 10 years incorporates his development of “Rubato” playing as a means of melding melodic lyricism with the rhythmic excitement and “sound of surprise” of the bebop tradition. Being a passionate advocate for the apprenticeship system, Galper formed the Youngbloods in 2015 to further explore rubato while providing him the platform to work with vital young musicians on the New York scene, passing on lessons from his 50 year career. With saxophonist Nathan Bellot, bassist Dean Torrey, and drummer David Frazier, Galper revisits some of the compositions, fire, and adventurousness of his seminal recordings from the '70s during this set from the 2016 COTA Jazz Festival in Delaware Water Gap, where they celebrated the life of Galper's longtime employer, saxophonist Phil Woods.

All About Jazz:
The trio recordings released by pianist Hal Galper between 2006 and 2014 - six discs, all but one on Origin Records—plowed fresh ground. Each disc dug deeply into the "Rubato" form. Taken as a whole - from 2006's Agents Of Change (Fabola Records) through 2014's O's Time (Origin Records) - the full series represents a monumental, sharply focused project that, for those who listened, redefined the piano trio.

Live At The Cota Jazz Festival features Galper still riding the wave of a fifty year-plus career that has included serious mainstream work with trumpeter Chet Baker and alto saxophonists Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley. Now he has a new group, the Youngbloods, a new generation of musicians whom Galper encountered originally as his students at the Purchase Conservatory.

If Galper's protégés had any problem adjusting to rubato playing—a style in which time, tempo and melody are highly flexible - it doesn't show. On four extended, malleable pieces - three Galper originals and Gordon Jenkin's Great American Songbook gem, "Goodbye" - the group of adventurists roam with Galper's stretched out pianism, veering often into individualistic eddies.

"Freewheeling" is a word meant for this sound. No one's keeping time; everyone's keeping time (in their own fashion); and time here is a concept relative to each player. Run that one by Einstein.

Bassist Dean Torrey and drummer David Frazier craft jumbled rhythmic landscapes, while addition of another melodic voice to Galper's trio concept - in this case alto saxophonist Nathan Bellott - opens up new paths through a labyrinthine trail system. Bellott's tone is tart, Jackie McLean-esque. His approach is confident to the point of audaciousness. Jazz thrives on audaciousness. And in the middle of it all, Hal Galper pushes his concept of brimming-with-surprises rubato piano artistry ahead. Still innovating after all these years.
by Dan McClenaghan


Midwest Record Review:
Not so much of a passing of the torch as it is a lighting of the way, the 50 year jazzbo vet brings some young 'uns into the spotlight to bring his vision to a new generation of players and listeners. Highlighting the Delaware Water Gap sound as originally brought home by the Omnisound gang, Galper scans his back pages for tunes from 40 years ago that need a new focus and appreciation. A solid set where the stretching out is all on point, this is mighty, top shelf listening jazz that is as loaded with bullet train roller coastering as it is just the opposite. A smoking serving of contemporary jazz throughout.
by Chris Spector


KUCI Review:
Pianist Galper is an educator and mentor. Previously with Chet Baker, Cannonball Adderly, Sam Rivers (1960's), and Phil Woods (1980's) he has been fronting trios and writing scholarly articles since the 90's while teaching at University. On this release he has found gifted young performers and improvisers in drummer, David Frazier, bassist Dean Torrey, and the uninhibited Nathan Bellott on alto sax. In fact the sax drum duets that occasionally emerge echo the free jazz greats. Galper's compositions are classics. Be-bop is embedded, along with free form and modal jazz all seamlessly intertwining. Galper plays a few leads, but mainly cues Bellott with prescient chord changes and rhythmic cues. This is very fine music.
by Hobart Taylor

muzycy:
Hal Galper: piano
Nathan Bellot: saxes
Dean Torrey: bass
David Frazier: drums

utwory:
1. Speak With a Single Voice - Hal Galper (17:41)
2. O's Time - Hal Galper (11:05)
3. Goodbye - Gordon Jenkins (13:56)
4. Scufflin' - Hal Galper (14:38)

total time - 57:20
wydano: 08 September 2017
nagrano: September 11, 2016, at the Cota Jazz Festival

more info: www.origin-records.com
more info2: www.halgalper.com
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