Jazz Obert

As a trumpeter and composer Roy Hagrove has reached a top reputation: twelve CDs as a leader and collaborator in several bands, quartet, quintet and nonet. Born in Waco (Texas, 1969) he was first inspired by gospel, but very young he started learning trumpet, and very soon he was discovered by Wynton Marsalis. He is said to have some influences from Freddie Hubbard, Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan and Clifford Brown.

Hargrove attended the famous Boston's Berklee College of Music, but more easily he was to be met in jam sessions in New York where he finally moved to. Diamond in the Rough is his first CD as a leader. Later in Verve Records he played with the most talented saxophonists Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman and Branford Marsalis. In 1993 he composed The Love Suite: In Mahogany, for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra; and was awarded a Grammy for Habana.

Hargrove has played with Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, Michael Brecker, Jackie McLean, Slide Hampton, Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Abbey Lincoln, Diana Ross, Steve Tyrell, Kenny Rankin, John Mayer, Rhian Benson, Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn, Jimmy Smith, Danny Gatton, Method Man, Common, Erykah Badu, D'Angelo and Gilles Peterson. At present time he leads the band The RH Factor.