Track Listing

1. Velera
2. Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey
3. My Funny Valentine
4. Mambo For Roy
5. Requiem
6. September In The Rain
7. Every Time We Say Goodbye
8. La Puerta
9. Roy Allan
10. Tschpiso
11. Trust

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1422 in Music
• Released on: 2009-08-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
You've got to wonder what kind of musician would even think to take a 19-piece band into the studio and out on the road, especially with the nation's current economic condition, That kind of musician would be Roy Hargrove, the veteran jazz trumpeter and composer whose first big band album, Emergence (Groovin' High/Emarcy), is released August 25th. "At this point this is probably the worst thing I could ever do, financially speaking," admits Hargrove. "But it's something that needs to be done, spiritually and musically speaking."

For Hargrove, whose previous release, 2008's quintet session Earfood (Groovin' High/Emarcy), found its way into dozens of jazz critics' year-end Top 10 lists, recording Emergence was not some crazy impulse decision but rather the realization of a dream. The Texas-born musician assembled the first incarnation of the big band back in 1995 for a New York jazz festival, then returned to the format on a more frequent basis several years ago.

The 11-track Emergence documents the present state of the Roy Hargrove Big Band's ongoing evolution. In addition to Hargrove on trumpet and flugelhorn, the ensemble consists of four other trumpet players (Frank Greene, Greg Gisbert, Darren Barrett, Ambrose Akinmisure), four trombonists (Jason Jackson, Vincent Chandler, Saunders Sermons, and Max Seigel on bass trombone), five reedists (Bruce Williams, alto saxophone and flute; Justin Robinson, alto and flute; Norbert Stachel, tenor sax and flute; Keith Loftis, tenor and flute; and Jason Marshall, baritone sax and flute), as well as pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Danton Boller, guitarist Saul Rubin, drummer Montez Coleman and percussionist Roland Guerrero. Vocalist Roberta Gambarini contributes her vocal charms to two tracks. Emergence was recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood with Hargrove and his manager Larry Clothier producing and the multi-Grammy winner Al Schmitt engineering and mixing

Customer Reviews

A stylish mixture of Hargrove originals, covers and some choice Latin crossovers.
A great soloist and fine all-round musician, the Texas-born trumpeter handles every assignment with panache. Leader of top-class funk and neobop groups, he now fronts a storming 19-piece big band of his own.
The recording features a terrific ensemble comprising Hargrove with fellow trumpeters Frank Greene, Greg Gisbert, Darren Barrett and Ambrose Akinmusire; trombonists Jason Jackson, Vincent Chandler, Saunders Sermons and Max Seigel; alto and flautists Bruce Williams and Justin Robinson; tenor and flautists Norbert Stachel and Keith Loftis; baritonist/flautist Jason Marshall, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Danton Boller, guitarist Saul Rubin, drummer Montez Coleman, and percussionist Ronald Guerrero.
"All guys I met in school and in various gigs and jams over the last 20 years".he says. "I think we share a passion for music that comes from the heart".
Roy is nothing if not diverse. His albums traverse Hard Bop, Latin, Funk etc.
"Emergence" is possibly his most straight ahead set to date, using the platform of a big band that gives the album quite a different dimension. The arrangements and production are sublime.
We know it'll be good with pianist Gerald Clayton, drummer Montez Coleman, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and Italian versatile singer Roberta Gambarini involved, and so it is.
This big-band set (influenced by Dizzy Gillespie and Gerald Wilson as well as Ellington and Basie) catches the present incarnation of an ensemble he's been running at Manhattan's not-for-profit Jazz Gallery since the late 90s: the veteran hard bop trumpeter had already road-tested his big band to acclaim at the Hollywood Bowl and New York's Central Park.
Like his original mentor Wynton Marsalis, Hargrove is as interested in nurturing the jazz process - in this case, opportunities for young players to jam in big ensembles - as he is in finished results.
Check the subtle changes of groove on the glorious "Ms Garvey, Ms Garvey" or the infectious "Mambo For Roy" with its Latin inflections and serious horn runs.
Latin vibes return for the vocal "La Puerta". A more mainstream Jazz flows through many of the other cuts such as "Velera" and the lilting "Roy Allan".
This classily crafted set includes Ray Charles-like horn funk ("Ms Garvey, Ms Garvey"), Miles Davis and Gil Evans recalled in the warm flugelhorn sound and sighing chords of "My Funny Valentine", and a spectacular exercise in mean-streets film noir music on "Requiem".
There are a few longueurs, and the ballad and Latin vocals veer towards the bland, but the arrangements fizz with ingenious variations, and Hargrove's playing strokes every nuance.
All in all, this is an interesting project that will appeal to lovers of the big band, but also to those that enjoy the rich musical explorations of Mr Hargrove.
The album debuts at # 10 of the Billboard Top Jazz Almums.
Issue date: September 12, 2009

Beautiful!!
I'm Roy's fan since many years ago, and this record keep the flame of true jazz.No doubt is one of the best records of the year and jazz big band Grammy winner.Pure beautiful.

ROY HARGROVE BIG BAND.......FINALLY
This is one of the best big band records I heard. And the sound is really great, Roy is a trumpet virtuoso and he could mix streigtahead jazz and latin perfectly, Roberta Gambarini did it great. Please don't confuse this band with the Dizzy Gilespie Bid Band in which Roy and Roberta played but this band in my opinion sounds better, highly recomended.