With much-anticipation, Verve Records has put out previously unreleased recordings from the late great trumpeter Roy Hargrove and his Latin-focused Crisol project, titled Grande-Terre. This session came together in early 1998, following the group’s GRAMMY win for Best Latin Jazz Performance for their debut album Habana.

This brilliant posthumous full-length includes 10 superb tracks, including some massive Latin jazz burners, like “Priorities”, “Rhumba Roy”, “Lake Danse”, “B and B” and an incredible version of Cedar Walton’s “Afreaka”, which originally appeared on Lee Morgan’s 1969 Blue Note classic, The Sixth Sense.

Hargrove was joined all-star group of Cuban, American and Guadeloupian musicians, including pianist Larry Willis, tenor saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart, alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, trombonist Frank Lacey, guitarist Ed Cherry, bassist Gerald Cannon, drummers Julio Barreto and Willie Jones III, along with percussionists Changuito and Miguel “Angá” Díaz.

This album really shows the level of virtuosity of Hargrove’s playing, especially at this time in his life. Great from start to finish, it’s truly hard to believe that these recordings sat on a shelf for over 25 years. Absolutely up there with some of the best reissues released this year.

Roy Hargrove’s Crisol — ‘Grande-Terre’
(Verve Records)

1. Rhumba Roy
2. A Song For Audrey
3. Lake Danse
4. Kamala’s Dance
5. B And B
6. Another Time
7. Lullaby From Atlantis
8. Afreaka
9. Ethiopia
10. Priorities

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• Jazz
• Jazz Dance
• Latin
• Reissue