Michael Gallant Trio

"Michael Gallant and his Trio have a new disc out "Completely" and he's in Southern California doing some business, so he will be dropping by Jazz 88 studio and hanging with us LIVE in Hour 1 of The New Jazz Thing with Vince Outlaw, Monday, March 11, 2013, starting around 6:40 PM PT! Listen in at 88.3 FM San Diego or click the LISTEN LIVE button to listen online or, better yet, download the iPhone/iPad App or the Android App and listen now and later!" - San Diego's Jazz 88.3

"Bordentown City is the place to be if you enjoy jazz with a rock flavor to it, as Friday sees a very neat show coming to The Record Collector located on Farnsworth Ave. Jazz pianist Michael Gallant brings his trio into town as he tours to promote his new CD 'Completely.'

Born into a musical family, he began taking piano lessons at a young age. 'I started playing at the age of five. Later I was fortunate to have a teacher who exposed me to different forms of music like blues among others and I was taught how to feel and improvise; once I learned that, I never looked back. I saw a McCoy Tyner show when I was younger, I saw John Coltrane’s piano player and I was just blown away. I mean there was more energy in that than in any concert, including rock that I’d ever seen.'

Gallant was also influenced by rock roots as well, citing Pearl Jam’s second album as a major factor in shaping his sound. 'When I was younger that CD quickly became my favorite, I was a rocker. Between that and seeing (McCoy) Tyner along with being raised by parents who exposed me to all types of music from rock to show tunes, I have a pretty diverse background.'

According to Michael we can expect a high energy show when he takes the stage. 'I want to take the energy that I grew up with, like that in Pearl Jam’s second album, the rock acts I grew up on and acts ts like McCoy Tyner and even Leonard Bernstein who put together some of the most beautiful, amazing melodies ever written and package it into a great show. I never want to do two shows the same, I’m a risk taker that way, I like to improvise. This show will feature some rock and jazz tunes, a good mix of both, I’ll even be joined by my wife Rachel Rossos who is a Bordentown native on vocals for a few songs; she grew up right down the street from The Record Collector.'" - The Trentonian

"…and become a pianist, composer, music journalist, and music producer. Michael Gallant, who studied music and anthropology at Columbia University, now plays with his folk-rock band Aurical as well as with a jazz trio. Before he was 18, he had won classical piano competitions at two DC-area conservatories and had written the music for his first professional theater production. He also writes arts advocacy articles for the National Endowment for the Arts as well as for the jazz magazine, DownBeat, and for Keyboard magazine.

Gallant is the founder of the New York firm Gallant Music, where he scores videos for projects like the award-winning feature film Remedy, and the Anti-Defamation League’s centennial anniversary video narrated by James Earl Jones. Earlier this year, he released the critically acclaimed Completely, which breaks the rules of the traditional piano trio format, melding jazz and grunge with electric and acoustic influences." - Anthropology Works

"If you like jazz-rock fusion but prefer it to be tighter and crunchier rather than wankier and more discursive, then consider this new album from pianist/composer Michael Gallant, bassist Linda Oh, and drummer Chris Infusino. Most of the tunes are originals, and they run the gamut from funky soul-jazz to strutting tango, but there’s also an interesting cover version of Pearl Jam’s 'Go.' Gallant’s piano style is adventurous but steeped in the verities, and he has a sharp compositional ear." - CD Hot List

"After logging time as an editor for Keyboard magazine and a contributing writer for DownBeat, Michael Gallant has returned to his primary focus of the piano and makes his recording debut with this trio set. His experience playing traditional jazz, including a brief stint in the Preservation Hall band, comes across in the funky second-line grooves that permeate many of his original compositions. Linda Oh thumps out a solid backbeat on both acoustic and electric basses, locking in tightly with drummer Chris Infusino. In the studio, Gallant set up an electric keyboard next to his acoustic, allowing him to add gritty accents that occasionally evoke the swirl of a Leslie cabinet and, most notably, give the appropriate thrust to a cover of Pearl Jam’s “Go.” The effort succeeds, as do more accessible, tuneful moments like “Problem With the Game” and “Completely,” the latter a melody in search of a lyric." - Jazz Times

"... Here, leading a jazz-rock trio, he deftly and tastefully swings between genres, playing bright, fluid runs on 'Greens,' then hammering out aggressive riffs and building to an almost Doors- or Zombies-esque electric-organ workout on 'Go.' Then he’s off on ballads and tangos, sidestepping expectations with non-showy ease. When he wraps things up after 55 minutes, it’s probably because he’s got someplace else to be." - M: Music and Musicians Magazine

"Shifting moods, dynamics and focal points abound throughout Completely, but some things remain the same: motion, commitment to the groove, and a passion for music pour forth from this powerful piano trio." - All About Jazz

"... the Michael Gallant Trio is slated to take the stage, and with its presence comes an electricity gelled with acoustics. It makes the performance something entirely unexpected and exhilarating.

Pianist and front man Michael Gallant sits behind the keyboards and injects a new life into traditional jazz — nuances of rock, a rustiness and edgy quality that take shape in numbers that would otherwise be considered orthodox.

It makes the body want to step outside itself and move; to dance and sway in ways you read about in old texts (because frankly, that feeling isn’t present in mainstream music)." - Times of Trenton

"Completely" Makes Critical Jazz's Best of 2013 - Critical Jazz

COMPLETELY makes WTJU JAZZ's BEST of 2013 list - WTJU Jazz

"Candlelight" included in December 29, 2012 broadcast of Weekend Edition. - NPR

Pianist/Keyboardist Michael Gallant and Engineer Mario J McNulty Discuss Recording Gallant's Album "Completely" - Mix Magazine

"Gallant explores realms where postmodern jazz meets rock... strong melodies and intense musicianship across several genres." - Jazziz Magazine

"The self-released Completely debut of the Michael Gallant Trio is so damn impressive, I had to listen again to confirm what I just heard." - Aquarian Weekly

"This, my friends, is the future of jazz. Fresh, invigorating, progressive - there are simply not enough positive adjectives to list here. . . Five stars." - Critical Jazz

"'Completely' is a superb debut by an artist unafraid and bending the tradition." - All About Jazz

"★ ★ ★ ★. . . infectious and captivating" - DownBeat Magazine

"Completely" by the Michael Gallant Trio was included in DownBeat Magazine's Best Albums of 2013 list. - DownBeat Magazine