Album: Earfood /  Roy Hargrove Quintet  /  13 tracks /  Jazz Instrumental

Roy Hargrove’s new CD Earfood reflects the legendary trumpeter’s passion for straight ahead jazz, but this is an elegant collection of songs, rather than a harder edged bop styling. Hargrove’s interpretation of Lou Martini’s dreamy “Starmaker,” relies for the most part on softer, pastel tones. “Starmaker,” does feature one, more in your face solo, by Hargrove, but it is his reflective chords, complimented by pianist Gerald Clayton’s gentle touch and Danton Boller’s subdued bassline that tell the story here. Hargrove says that the slow-tempo “Starmaker,” reminds him of the theme to M*A*S*H, but there are no critical surgeries being performed here. The Roy Hargrove Quintet completed by Montez Coleman (drums) and Justin Robinson (alto sax and flute), create a beautifully textured and peaceful ambience.

Hargrove confesses, “More and more of my writing is leading toward slow songs. It’s my favorite way to play. Give me a nice ballad that’s pretty, and I’m cool.”  His introspective styling on the original tune, “Joy Is Sorrow Unmasked,” is contemplative rather than lamenting, more philosophical than it is romantic. Inspired by poet / philosopher Kahil Gibran’s book The Prophet, “Joy Is Sorrow Unmasked,” leans once again to Hargrove’s preference for slower ballads.

To stir things up a little and to keep us from being either lulled to sleep or falling rapturously in love with our dance partner, the quintet swings on the sixth track, “The Stinger,” another original, intended for people who engage their mouths before their brains. The quintet stirs things up, with a bolder statement led by Clayton’s lively piano keys and some great grooves from Robinson’s alto voice.

Earfood closes with Hargrove’s interpretation of Sam Cooke’s twelve bar blues song “Bring It On Home To Me,” first recorded in 1961. Rather than straying far from the soulful Cooke tune, the Roy Hargrove Quintet have instead captured the essence of the original recording, which had Lou Rawls singing the vocal responses to Cooke’s lead vocals. During this live track, Hargrove, who is a big fan of Sam Cooke’s music, serves up one of the more soulful trumpet performances this side of Satchmo’. The duo of Hargrove and Robinson provide such a lyrical performance, that you will soon forget that this song, in its original form, does have words.

Earfood is Roy Hargrove’s debut CD on the Groovin’High / Emarcy imprint, distributed by the Decca Label Group. The two-time Grammy Award winner and his quintet have created some timeless original pieces such as the edgier “Strasbourg / St. Denis,” a tune which he penned while staying in what he describes as a one and one half star hotel in Paris. “Strasbourg / St. Denis,” was written in the middle of the night, after Hargrove awoke from a dream. The quintet has also done their part to help preserve classics, such as the opening track, a cover of the Cedar Walton classic tune, “I’m Not So Sure.” Although there are some more vigorous solos, for the most part, Earfood, is intended to be enjoyed in a more relaxed mood. Riveting Riffs Magazine gives two thumbs up to the Roy Hargrove Quintet for giving us another gem.

Reviewed July 2008

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