Roy Hargrove & Antonio Hart: The Tokyo Sessions (1991)

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove and alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, two of the finest contemporary hard boppers, made a potent team on this CD featuring sessions recorded in Tokyo during 1991. Hargrove's fierce trumpet solos and Hart's bluesy, equally energetic and accomplished answering alto statements fueled nine excellent reworkings of standards and jazz repertory. The quintet performed such established material as Oscar Pettiford's "Bohemia After Dark," and Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser," and Kenny Dorham's "Lotus Blossom," as well as Cole Porter's "Easy To Love," with confidence and in a smooth yet expressive style. It would still be nice to hear Hart and Hargrove doing their own material rather than simply putting their spin on shopworn, though wonderful, anthems. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

Personnel:
Roy Hargrove (Trumpet, Arranger),
Antonio Hart (Sax (Alto), Arranger)
Steve Backer (Series Director),
Larry Clothier (Producer),
Masahiko Osaka (Drums),
Jacqueline Murphy (Art Coordinator),
Ikuyoshi Hirakawa (Producer),
Ikuyoshi Hirakawa (Series Director),
Yutaka Shiina (Piano),
Masataka Ito (Assistant Engineer),
Takahiro Nochimura (Engineer),
Tomo Shima (Bass),
Tohru Yamana (Mastering)
Tracklist:
1. Bohemia After Dark
2. Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere
3. Work Song
4. I Remember Clifford
5. Straight, No Chaser
6. But Not for Me
7. Alone Together
8. Lotus Blossom
9. Easy to Love
Tokyo Sessions
Depositfiles / Hotfile flac

Oscar Peterson: Meets Roy Hargrove and Ralph Moore (1996)

Down Beat (2/97, p.48) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "It's not so rare finding an elder statesman in the studio with young veterans, but it is uncommon to have a session turn out as well as Oscar Peterson's encounter with Roy Hargrove and Ralph Moore did....another album worth hearing again and again..."

Recorded at Manta/Eastern Studio A, Toronto, Canada on June 11 & 12, 1996.

Personnel: Oscar Peterson (piano); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Ralph Moore (tenor saxophone); Niels-Henning Orsted Pederson (bass); Lewis Nash (drums).

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Meets Roy and Ralph (RS) / Meets Roy and Ralph (HF) @ 320K

Herbie Hancock: Mwandishi (1971) [remastered 1997]

Hancock called Mwandishi "my favourite record of all the records I have ever made" in 1971. Surely the music on this album remains some of the most startling and experimental music on Hancock's entire discography, more suited perhaps for the 21st century than the one in which it was created. Just as beautiful as well known blue-note releases such as "Maiden Voyage" and "Speak Like a Child," this music contains a subversive and revolutionary edge (unlike it's predecessors) that still sits it at the forefront of contemporary music thirty years after its original release.

In explaining why he switched to a more funky and accessible style popularized on "Head Hunters" Hancock complaines to Bob Blumenthal in the notes to "Mwandishi: The Complete Warner Bros Recordings" (also definitely worth the purchase) that "I'd go to friends' homes and see my albums on the shelves with lots of other people's records, and they'd play all the others except mine." Sad. Perhaps Hancock didn't know how far ahead he was at the time, but surely time will confirm this blatantly self evident fact, especially with the crystalline sonic-quality evident on reissues of this remarkable offering on CD.

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Mwandishi (HF) Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 (MU) [lossless]

Jimmy Smith: Angel Eyes (1996)

Who would have suspected that Jimmy Smith would put out something this great this late in his career? This is music so cool and laid-back that it takes a few listens to realize how deep and complex it is. This is fine music by a mature artist. ~ Hank Schwab

A follow-up to the mostly heated performances of Damn!, this CD features organist Jimmy Smith sticking to ballads and slower material. There is a sextet rendition of "Stolen Moments" (with both Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton on trumpets); duets with both trumpeters, bassist Christian McBride, and guitarist Mark Whitfield; a trio; a quartet; and solo organ renditions of "Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" and "What a Wonderful World." Despite the constant changing of instrumentation, the results (although pleasant) are uneventful and somewhat predictable. Good for late-night background music rather than for close listening. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

Personnel:
Jimmy Smith -Organ
Roy Hargrove -Trumpet and Flugelhorn - 1,2,5
Nicholas Payton -Trumpet - 1,7
Mark Whitfield -Guitar - 1,3,5,8
Christian McBride -Double Bass - 1,6
Gregory Hutchinson -Drums - 1,5,8
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Angel Etes (RS) / Angel Eyes (HF) @ 320K

Roy Hargrove: Of Kindred Souls (1993) [live]

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove's fourth (and as it now turns out, final) release for RCA/Novus was recorded live at various clubs in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Blessed with potent technique and a handsome sound, Hargrove lays out neatly sculpted solos at all tempos. The interchange among the group feels balanced and democratic. Their sense of swing is loose-limbed and steady. Nonetheless, Hargrove is the most compelling soloist here. His lines are full of surprise, his melodic sense strong.

Personnel: Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn); Ron Blake (soprano & tenor saxophones); Gary Bartz (alto saxophone); Andre Hayward (trombone); Marc Cary (piano); Rodney Whitaker (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

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Of Kindred Souls (MU) (flac, scans)