Roy Hargrove

[Dave Garrett]

I saw him when he was touring with Crisol to promote Habana. The show almost didn't happen as several people in the local expat Cuban community got pissed off and pressured the promoters to back out, as detailed here:

https://www.houstonpress.com/news/the-insider-6570802

I don't recall how it ultimately got resolved, but the show did indeed go on eventually, and was sublime and magnificent. 

RIP

[kh1958]

The first time I heard him was at a Freddie Hubbard engagement, when he was still in high school. Freddie was in top technical form that night, playing as the sole horn with an ace rhythm section (I don't recall but it likely included some or all of Larry Willis, Idris Muhammad and Walter Booker). Towards the end of the second set, Freddie, sounding reluctant, announced that the club had asked him to let a local player sit in with him, which proved to be Roy Hargrove. When asked what song, Roy called a Kenny Dorham tune, It was rather amazing how well he played, and you could see that Freddie Hubbard was impressed.

Another concert that stands out was at the Jazz Gallery, where he was paired in a dual trumpet front line with Marcus Belgrave, for an exceptional concert.

[Soulstation1]

Saw Oct 13 2001 

Roy Hargrove Trumpet 

Michael Brecker Sax

Herbie Hancock Piano 

John Patitucci Bass

Brian Blade Drums

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

SO THIS IS WHAT IS FEELS LIKE.  THIS IS WHAT IS FEELS LIKE AND I NEVER WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THIS.  this is what its like when a jazz hero dies before his time.  I cant believe he is now trumpet legend like clifford brown and not trumpet reality.  Saw him one time, c. 2002. and i recall i was extra stoked for larry wills on piano

•  

[Scott Dolan]

13 hours ago, Soulstation1 said:

How in the world can anyone tell someone what they can and can not post about??

 

???

Where did this happen? 

[Dan Gould]

23 hours ago, Scott Dolan said:

Jim, I’ve really grown to respect you over the years. Your thoughtfulness, insight, oddball musings, left field philosophy, all of it. 

And I hope you take this as sincerely and respectfully as I mean it to be. 

I work in substance abuse. Please do not speak any further on the subject. 

 

42 minutes ago, Scott Dolan said:

???

Where did this happen? 

 

[Scott Dolan]

It was a plea, hence the word “please”. It wasn’t a command. Nobody has that kind of power. 

This is my last post in this thread. This is not the place for such petty meta posting. 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Scott Dolan

[Brad]

I’d harken back to Paul’s post about a time and a place. I certainly didn’t see Scott’s post as an attempt to cut off debate. 

[John Tapscott]

9 hours ago, Soulstation1 said:

Saw Oct 13 2001 

Roy Hargrove Trumpet 

Michael Brecker Sax

Herbie Hancock Piano 

John Patitucci Bass

Brian Blade Drums

Oct. 25, 2001 Massey Hall. I was there. 

[Mark Stryker]

12 hours ago, kh1958 said:

The first time I heard him was at a Freddie Hubbard engagement, when he was still in high school. Freddie was in top technical form that night, playing as the sole horn with an ace rhythm section (I don't recall but it likely included some or all of Larry Willis, Idris Muhammad and Walter Booker). Towards the end of the second set, Freddie, sounding reluctant, announced that the club had asked him to let a local player sit in with him, which proved to be Roy Hargrove. When asked what song, Roy called a Kenny Dorham tune, It was rather amazing how well he played, and you could see that Freddie Hubbard was impressed.

Another concert that stands out was at the Jazz Gallery, where he was paired in a dual trumpet front line with Marcus Belgrave, for an exceptional concert.

Do you recall when that concert with Marcus took, place?

[ghost of miles]

Full-length obituary from Nate Chinen at NPR:

Roy Hargrove, Grammy-Winning Jazz Trumpeter, Dies At 49

[JSngry]

Is there anything sadder than a mother having to bury her child?

[Stefan Wood]

Just saw this, as well as a mention in the Washington Post.  Much too young.  RIP.

[kh1958]

10 hours ago, Mark Stryker said:

Do you recall when that concert with Marcus took, place?

That was September 11, 2005 at the Jazz Gallery, when it was located near to the site of the Half Note.

[Justin V]

The first time I saw Roy Hargrove, it was with Hank Jones, Gerald Clayton, John Lee and Vincent Ector at Harlem Stage in 2008.  It was one of two times that I saw Jones and the only time in a setting conducive to listening.  Having gone specifically to see Jones, I was unfamiliar with the whole band other than Hargrove, whom I knew by name only.  I knew that Clayton, who was in Hargrove's band at the time, was John Clayton's son.

The evening progressed from the impressive Clayton playing solo to various configurations.  I don't even know if Hargrove was originally supposed to be on the gig or if he showed up with his horn to have the chance to blow some with Jones and lend his talent to the benefit concert.  I remember how focused he seemed, how effortless, how he closed his eyes and just blew.  He played like he was ready to play all night, like it was an old-school jam session done for the joy of playing.

That gig was about a month before Earfood came out.  I think that I bought Earfood before seeing him lead his quintet from the album at the Detroit Jazz Fest that summer.  Earfood is a great album.  Seeing the group perform that material at the festival's waterfront stage before an enthusiastic crowd was absolutely electric and one of the best concerts I have ever seen.

The years passed and I heard Hargrove on several albums but I didn't see him play.  He didn't play locally and I didn't learn of a concert in Detroit until after the fact.  I heard that he was on dialysis and had read about his drug arrest.

I finally got to see him again at the Detroit Jazz Fest in 2016.  He was playing with an orchestra and strings.  Maybe my perception of it was affected by the knowledge of his health problems and battle with drugs, but he seemed disengaged and diminished somehow.  Although he still had that gorgeous tone, his solos were short and didn't stray far from the melody.  Having looked forward to the concert after not seeing him in years, I left during the set.  My wife saw him with RH Factor on another day and said that he didn't play much.

Since that concert, I have found it hard to listen to him.  Even knowing of his problems, I was stunned to hear of his death at the Pittsburgh Jazz Seminar concert when Ingrid Jensen dedicated 'Soul Eyes' to him and joined Sean Jones in a memorable, moving tribute.

I never would have guessed after seeing him with Hank Jones that he would only outlive Jones by 9 years.  Although I feel some guilt for leaving that last concert early, I still hoped that it was an off night and that I would see him down the road, with his eyes closed, smiling the smile of someone doing what he was born to do, playing like he was the king of the world.

I'll continue to try to focus on having been a witness to him at the top of his game, but it is difficult to think of someone so gifted and vibrant being gone.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Hargrove, and rest in peace.

[jazzcorner]

Have some tapes with him and singer Roberta Gambarini touring Europe.

Really a good combination

W.