In designing the concept of Forward Motion, respected pianist and educator Hal Galper has come up with the “Unified Field Theory” in Music! Using the latest internet technology, he has produced it using a format that allows complete musical interactivity with the exercises. Galper’s work on Forward Motion is the product of a combination of his virtuoso improvisational skill and a major league analytical ability. This book transcends jazz, as it unifies jazz improvisation, European classical composition, and, for that matter, all styles of Western music more clearly than any other concept I have encountered. In his narrative, Galper easily glides back and forth between references to Cannonball Adderley, Albert Schweitzer, J.S. Bach and many others.

Galper is a veteran of the bands of Cannonball Adderley, Chet Baker, John Scofield and a decade as pianist with the Phil Woods Quintet. His own groups have included drummer Bob Moses and saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, and Michael Brecker’s performances with Galper’s late 1970s quintet on the recordings Reach Out, Live at Rosy’s and 78 Redux feature what is widely considered to be some of Brecker’s finest acoustic jazz playing.

Forward Motion is divided into ten chapters, each with a different focus on melodic or harmonic aspects of melody building. The chapter “Melody and Embellishment“ shows an example of Bach’s English Suite, then employs Bach‘s clearly defined melodic techniques over Rhythm Changes. The concept of target notes (thirds and sevenths of chords) and melodic direction is also a major focus. “Scalar Forward Motion” employs passing half-steps within scale passages to connect with these target notes. “Forward Motion and Arpeggios” uses upper and lower neighbor tones to make strong melodies by playing target notes on strong beats. “Harmonic Forward Motion” explains the lost art of spelling chords ahead of where they sound, a technique commonly used in the bebop era but not often since then. “Pentatonics and Forward Motion” address more contemporary vocabulary, showing inner guide tone melodies outlined by four-note fragments and pentatonic elements.

Perhaps the most important chapter is “How to Practice Forward Motion.” This could have easily been titled “how to practice” because it gives such valuable direction, including Dizzy Ghillespie’s memorable advice to solidly internalize melodic lines by “screaming” them, rather than the half-hearted practice methods that many players use.

In addition to his conceptual innovation, Galper is also an exceptionally clear writer and speaker. His articles and book text are always well written, conversational and easy to understand, avoiding complex “textbookese“ terminology and sentences. He is the same way in his personal lectures, always staying on point and keeping his audience totally involved personally and musically.

In addition to the musical innovations of the printed version, Galper offers this book mainly as a web-based interactive method. This technological innovation of the web-book allows Forward Motion students to practice his exercises and material in any key and tempo. In terms of teaching and learning, this is the play-along record taken into the 21st century.