Above: Roy Hargrove in Rio, October 2006.
A brand new sound was heard Saturday night at the Folly Theater. Two-and-a-half hours after its concert began, the Roy Hargrove Quintet tore into a fierce reading of "Nothing Serious," the title track of the trumpeter's lastest release. Propelled by a frantic Latin groove, the band successfully melded decades of jazz tradition with contemporary popular music. Call it "extreme bop."
It was an extraordinary achievement in what had already been a breathtakingly brilliant concert. The 37-year-old Hargrove is one of the great hopes of traditional jazz. A restless spirit, the one-time protege of Wynton Marsalis has worked in a variety of settings, including Cuban music, funk and the classic acoustic format he presented at the Folly.
"Autumn Leaves," the concert's opening number, and a reading of "Invitation" never caught fire. But Hargrove's discerning work never allowed things to get stale. Between solos, Hargrove prowled the stage like a young lion. So brimming with ideas was Hargrove that at times he seemed on the verge of exploding due to his inability to explore them all simultaneously.
Hargrove played a lush, devastatingly gorgeous ballad on flugelhorn in each of the evening's two sets. His perfect tone, and ability to evoke the deepest shades of blue, silenced the sometimes raucous audience of approximately 600 persons. Such heart-melting moments made Hargrove seem overly generous with the spotlight. While his brilliant solos were concise, perfectly realized statements, his bandmates were prone to meandering solos.
Saxophonist Justin Robinson's assured, muscular work provided solid counterpoint to Hargrove's explorations. He and Hargrove didn't always meld perfectly but their highly literate dialog was invariably fascinating. Light-fingered pianist Gerald Clayton's nimble work was punctuated with Monk-ish interjections. Drummer Montez Coleman was a sympathetic player, while bassist Joe Sanders provided steady support. Even as all five men offered improvised music of the highest order, it was apparent that their ears were directed to the future.
The band touched on avant-garde music early in the second set. It was exhilarating to hear Hargrove and Robinson bleat noisily as Clayton attacked his piano's interior. The experiment lasted a only minute, but it compelled several patrons to head for the exit.
Hargrove declined to participate in the Folly's traditional pre-concert jazz talk, and he only addressed the audience to introduce his band. But words weren't necessary. His incendiary performance Saturday night spoke volumes about the past, present and future of jazz.
The audience gave the visionary breakthrough of "Nothing Serious," a standing ovation as the band left the stage. Hargrove returned to offer one final shocking performance. He crooned "September In the Rain" in a light, sweet voice reminiscent of Luther Vandross. If this whole "most vital artist in jazz" thing doesn't work out, Hargrove has it covered.
| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
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