Eddie Gale is a trumpeter from Brooklyn, New York who received early training on his instrument under the instruction of Kenny Dorham. He developed his playing during the ’60’s in the company of Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Max Roach, Bud Powell and Sun Ra. In 1966 he appeared on Cecil Taylor’s free jazz magnum opus Unit Structures which lead to his deal with Blue Note Records. Ghetto Music was his debut for the label and it was recognized by critics for its progressive use of jazz, soul, blues, folk, gospel and cultural awareness that can be heard in “The Rain” and “Fulton Street.” The album had a similar energy to Max Roach’s We Insist! but was not as incendiary and relied more on vernacular forms. “Black Rhythm Happening” is from his 1969 second album for Blue Note and it is also a hybrid of jazz and Black folk styles. He recorded with Larry Young in 1969 as well by appearing on Young’s Of Love and Peace. Gale’s contract ended with Blue Note after the second release and he relocated to California and became an artist in residence at Stanford University. He appeared on 4 Sun Ra albums in the late ’60’s and ’70’s and also toured with him. Gale has lived in San Jose, California since 1972 and worked as a jazz educator at San Jose University and other schools in the area. The mayor declared him San Jose’s Ambassador Of Jazz in 1974 and PBS did a television profile on Gale in 2009. He has released 5 independent albums since 1993 and he occasionally plays with hip-hop group The Coup.
