Roy Hargrove Tribute Mix
On November 2nd, innovative trumpeter and composer Roy Hargrove sadly passed away at the far too young age of 49. His death was caused by cardiac arrest brought on by kidney disease. Hargrove was considered by many as the greatest trumpeter of his generation. During the nineties, he established himself as one of jazz’s best and most forward-thinking musicians, leading a youth movement in the genre. He also made his mark as a highly diverse player, performing on a wide range of iconic recordings across many genres including Afro-Cuban jazz, hard bop, R&B, hip-hop, and Afrobeat.
During the late nineties/early 2000s, Hargrove became associated with the neo-soul movement led by artists like Questlove, Erykah Badu, Common and D’Angelo. This led to him performing on classic albums like D’Angelo’s Voodoo and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun. In 2003, he created the groundbreaking project, the RH Factor, which was one of the first groups to successfully fuse together jazz, funk, neo-soul, and hip-hop.
The Waco, Texas-native was also one of the founder’s of New York’s Jazz Gallery. Since it’s opening in 1995, this small downtown Manhattan venue has established itself as one of the most cutting-edge spaces for rising jazz musicians.
Overall, Roy Hargrove was a highly respected and influential musician that constantly pushed the boundaries of jazz, while paying homage to it’s roots. His contributions have helped pave the way for generations of musicians. A modern day legend, he will absolutely be missed.
To help pay tribute to the late great trumpeter, here is an hour-long mix featuring a wide selection of tracks from Roy Hargrove as both a leader and as a sideman. It’s a musical journey that sheds light on the many diverse recordings the trumpeter contributed on over the past three decades, highlighting Hargrove’s incredible depth as both a musician and composer.
Roy Hargrove Tribute Mix
by TJ Oliver-Gorton
TRACKLISTING
01. Roy Hargrove’s Crisol – “Afrodisia” – 1997
02. Roy Hargrove – “A Day in Vienna” – 2006
03. Roy Haynes – “Passion Dance” – 2011*
04. Roy Hargrove – “Salima’s Dance” – 2006
05. Roy Hargrove Quintet – “The Stinger” – 2008
06. Karl Denson feat. Fred Wesley – “Elephants” – 2004*
07. The RH Factor – “Crazy Race” – 2006
08. Roy Hargrove’s Crisol – “Mambo For Roy” – 1997
09. The RH Factor – “Hardgroove” – 2003
10. Femi Kuti – “Water Get No Enemy” – 2002*
11. Outro – Message from Roy Hargrove
*Tracks feature Roy Hargrove on trumpet or flugelhorn
