Roy Hargrove always dreamed of leading his own big band, a style he believes has fallen out of favor with aspiring jazz musicians.
"The sound is so rich and full, and it provides opportunity for congregation which is much-needed among today's younger musicians; most of whom have come of age in small group settings," he says. Hargrove knows a thing or two about small group settings. From trios to septets, he has gained a reputation for shifting directions with each new outing, including mainstream jazz with his quintet; hip-hop, funk and soul with his group, RH Factor; a Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz album; jazz standards; and now, his first-ever big band album.
Roy Hargrove is in good company with his latest effort, Emergence . In fact, he finds himself in the company of 19 top-notch musicians, many of them co-workers on previous studio sessions or tours. One such colleague is vocalist Roberta Gambarini, featured on the Cole Porter classic, "Everytime We Say Goodbye." Recorded at Capitol Records' now-legendary Studio A in Hollywood, California, the album contains a handful of jazz standards plus four original works. "There's nothing like the feeling you get when hearing your compositions and arrangements played by a 'wall of sound,'" Hargrove says. On Emergence , The Roy Hargrove Big Band performs a tune dedicated to Hargrove's father, "Roy Allan." I'm Doug Levine.
