Hal Galper Trio With Jerry Bergonzi - Rebop (1995)

On this live recording from Switzerland, the underrated pianist Hal Galper and his trio (Jeff Johnson, bass, and Steve Ellington, drums) are joined by tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. Galper sticks to standard jazz repertoire but gives it a very personal touch, taking songs such as Johnny Mercer's "Laura" and Thelonious Monk's "Jackie-ing," and crafting new rhythmic material to enhance the familiar themes. Both Bergonzi and Ellington lay out for Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne's "It's Magic," an inspired ballad feature on which Galper slides in and out of tempo, with Johnson on bass following his every step. The album cover features a dictionary-style definition of the term rebop: "A form of jazz improvising by musicians of the post-bebop era that embodies the traditions of bebop but includes the musical advances since that time...." But more than a clinical demonstration of any particular idiom, Rebop portrays Galper as a highly individual interpreter of standard tunes and a leader of a sensitive, versatile ensemble.

Review by David R. Adler