Hard Grooves: Roy Hargrove Tribute
Hard Grooves is an ensemble led by trumpeter Eric Smith dedicated to performing the music of Roy Hargrove. Comprised of singers, horns and a rhythm section, this ensemble delivers high energy performances in intimate venues and larger stages across New England. This group performs all corners of Hargrove's diverse catalogue including his fiery bebop tunes, grooving funk music, and gorgeous ballads.
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American trumpeter Roy Hargrove was a trailblazing talent known for his genre-crossing musical contributions and holistic approach to his craft. After being discovered in high school by Wynton Marsalis, Hargrove led the charge of the "Young Lions", a wave of young jazz musicians who embraced hard bop tradition with a fresh perspective in the 1990s. He achieved worldwide fame after winning the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for his 1998 album Havana and again for winning the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album in 2002 for his contributions to Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall with co-leaders Herbie Hancock and Michael Brecker.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hargrove was a member of the Soulquarians, a collective of experimental jazz, hip hop and soul artists that included Questlove, Bilal, Common and others. Hargrove released 3 albums with the funk and R&B group RH Factor through the early 2000s which included contributions from Soulquarians Erykah Badu and D'Angelo.
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In 2008, Hargrove released the album Earfood to critical acclaim, returning to the traditional jazz quintet instrumentation. Featuring Hargrove's distinctive fiery trumpet solos as well as his signature gorgeous balladry, Earfood was hailed as equally forward thinking and steeped in jazz tradition.
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Roy Hargrove passed away in 2018, and was subsequently honored by several high profile tributes including the Roy Hargrove Musical Celebration at Jazz at Lincoln Center, a posthumous election to the Downbeat Magazine Jazz Hall of Fame, and the reinvigoration of the Roy Hargrove Big Band.