Hal Galper

Harold Galper (April 18, 1938 – July 18, 2025) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, educator, and writer.

Life and career Galper was born in Salem, Massachusetts, United States on April 18, 1938. Galper continued to work with Randy and Michael Brecker in the late 1970s, and the brothers appeared on Galper's 1977 album Reach Out! and the 1979 Speak With A Single Voice (reissued as Children of the Night), though by this point the Breckers were leading their fusion band The Brecker Brothers and did not work with Galper full time. Galper performed in New York and Chicago jazz clubs in the late 1970s, and recorded two albums with John Scofield for the Enja label in 1978-79, the first led by Scofield, and the second led by himself.

Discography As leader/co-leader Recording date Title Label Year released Notes / Personnel 1971 The Guerilla Band Mainstream 1971 Randy Brecker (trumpet, electric trumpet, flugelhorn), Michael Brecker (tenor sax, soprano sax), Bob Mann (electric guitar), Victor Gaskin (bass guitar), Charles Alias and Steve Haas (drums) 1971? Wild Bird Mainstream 1972 Randy Brecker (trumpet, electric trumpet), Michael Brecker (tenor sax, soprano sax), Jonathan Graham (electric guitar), Bob Mann (electric guitar), Victor Gaskin, Charles LaChappelle (double bass, bass guitar), Bill Goodwin (drums), Billy Hart (drums) 1972? Inner Journey Mainstream 1973 Trio, Dave Holland (double bass), Bill Goodwin (drums) 1975–11 Windows SteepleChase 1976 Co-led duo with Lee Konitz (alto sax) 1976–11 Reach Out! SteepleChase 1977 Quintet, Randy Brecker (trumpet), Michael Brecker (tenor sax, flute), Wayne Dockery (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 1977–02 Now Hear This Enja 1977 Quartet, Terumasa Hino (trumpet), Cecil McBee (bass), Tony Williams (drums) 1978–02 Redux '78 Concord Jazz 1991 Live. Quintet, Randy Brecker (trumpet), Michael Brecker (tenor sax, flute), Wayne Dockery (bass), Bob Moses (drums). 1978–02 Speak with a Single Voice Enja 1979 Live. Quintet, Randy Brecker (trumpet), Michael Brecker (tenor sax, flute), Wayne Dockery (bass), Bob Moses (drums). 1979–10, 1979–11 Ivory Forest Enja 1980 Quartet, John Scofield (guitar), Wayne Dockery (bass), Adam Nussbaum (drums) 1982–01 Naturally Blackhawk 1987 Live. Trio, Rufus Reid (bass), Victor Lewis (drums). 1986–03 Dreamsville Enja 1987 Trio, Steve Gilmore (bass), Bill Goodwin (drums) 1986–11 Miss Oidipus Dragon 1987 Co-led with Putte Wickman (clarinet) and trio, Steve Gilmore (bass), Bill Goodwin (drums) 1989–02 Portrait Concord Jazz 1989 Trio, Ray Drummond (bass), Billy Hart (drums) 1990–07 Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume Six Concord Jazz 1990 Live. Solo. 1990–11 Invitation to a Concert Concord Jazz 1991 Trio, Todd Coolman (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1991–07 Live at Port Townsend '91 Double-Time 1991 Live. Trio, Todd Coolman (bass), Steve Ellington (drums). 1992–11 Tippin' Concord Jazz 1993 Trio, Wayne Dockery (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1993–09 Just Us Enja 1994 With Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax) and trio, Pat O'Leary (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1994–08 Live at Vartan Jazz Vartan Jazz 1994 Live. Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), Steve Ellington (drums). 1994–08 Rebob Enja 1995 With Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax) and trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1996–03 Maybeck Duets Philology 1998 Co-led duo with Jeff Johnson (bass) 1997–01 Sweet Beat Blues Red 1998 Co-led with Carlo Atti (tenor sax) and trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1997–02 Fugue State Blue Chip Jazz 1998 Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), Steve Ellington (drums) 1999–02 Let's Call This That Double-Time 1999 Quintet, Jeff Johnson (bass), Steve Ellington (drums), Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax), Tim Hagans (trumpet) 2006–04 Agents of Change Fabola 2006 Trio, Tony Marino (bass), Billy Mintz (drums) 2006–06 Furious Rubato Origin 2007 Co-led trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums) 2008–02 Art-Work Origin 2009 Co-led trio, Reggie Workman (bass), Rashied Ali (drums) 2008–09 Invitation to Openness Origin 2022 Trio, Tony Marino (bass), Billy Mintz (drums) 2009–10 E Pluribus Unum - Live in Seattle Origin 2010 Live. Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums). 2011 Trip the Light Fantastic Origin 2011 Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums) 2012 Airegin Revisited Origin 2012 Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums) 2014? O's Time Origin 2014 Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums) 2016–09 Live at the Cota Jazz Festival Origin 2017 Live. Qualtet with the Youngbloods, Nathan Bellott (alto sax), Dean Torrey (bass), David Frazier (drums). 2016–10 Cubist Origin 2018 Quartet, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums), Jerry Bergonzi (tenor sax) 2016–11 The Zone: Live at The Yardbird Suite Origin 2019 Live. Trio, Jeff Johnson (bass), John Bishop (drums).

As sideman With Cannonball Adderley Inside Straight (Fantasy, 1973) Love, Sex, and the Zodiac (Fantasy, 1973) Pyramid (Fantasy, 1974)

With Chet Baker The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 (Colpix, 1964) Baby Breeze (Limelight, 1965) Live at Fat Tuesday's (Fresh Sound, 1981) – live

With Phil Woods Birds of a Feather (Antilles, 1982) Dizzy Gillespie Meets Phil Woods Quintet (Timeless, 1987) Bop Stew (Concord, 1988) – live Boquet (Concord, 1989) – live All Birds Children (Concord, 1991)

With others Nat Adderley, Double Exposure (Prestige, 1975) Franco Ambrosetti, Heartbop (Enja, 1981) Randy Brecker, Score (Solid State, 1969) Tom Harrell, Open Air (SteepleChase, 1986) Sam Rivers, A New Conception (Blue Note, 1967) John Scofield, Rough House (Enja, 1979)