Hal Galper

Galper was born in Salem, Massachusetts, United States on April 18, 1938.^[1][2] Galper studied classical piano as a boy, but switched to jazz which he studied at the Berklee College of Music from 1955 to 1958.^[1] He hung out at Herb Pomeroy's club, the Stable, hearing local Boston musicians such as Jaki Byard, Alan Dawson and Sam Rivers. Galper started sitting in and became the house pianist at the Stable and later on, at Connelly's and Lenny's on the Turnpike.^[2] He went on to work in Pomeroy's band.

Later on he worked with Chet Baker and Stan Getz and accompanied vocalists Joe Williams, Anita O'Day, and Chris Connor.^[2]

In 1969, Galper recorded with Randy Brecker and Michael Brecker on Randy's Score album. Randy and Michael Brecker subsequently appeared on Galper's 1971 album The Guerilla Band and his 1972 album Wild Bird. Though he began recording albums under his own name in the 1970s, Galper continued to work for other bandleaders throughout the 1970s and 1980s, either as a full time band member, or on a freelance basis. He played with Stan Getz for a year starting in 1972, and in 1973, he joined the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, replacing George Duke and staying until 1975.^[2] 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.^[2] From 1980 until 1990, he was a member of Phil Woods's quintet.^[1]

Galper left the Woods group in August 1990 to tour and record with a trio with Steve Ellington on drums. Initially, Todd Coolman was the trio's bass player. After Coolman left the trio, his permanent replacement was Jeff Johnson, though other bassists worked with Galper and Ellington for short periods until they joined with Johnson. From 1990 to 1999, his group was on the road six months a year.

He was internationally known as an educator. Galper was on the faculty of Purchase College and the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.^[2] His theoretical and practical articles appeared in six of Down Beat editions. His scholarly article on the psychology of stage fright, originally published in the Jazz Educators Journal, has subsequently been reprinted in four other publications.

Galper died in Cochecton, New York, on July 18, 2025, at the age of 87.^[3]

• List of jazz arrangers

• Forward Motion: From Bach To Bebop. A Corrective Approach to Jazz Phrasing, AuthorHouse, July 17, 2003, ISBN 978-1410712141
• The Touring Musician: A Small Business Approach to Booking Your Band on the Road, Alfred Publishing, January 10, 2007, ISBN 978-0739046890