"Rhythm and melody! Everybody understands that. There is always that phrase that sticks in your head. Or that beat that makes you dance."

- Roy Hargrove

"I was told by an elder: Composing is important. This is how you find your identity in music."

- Roy Hargrove

Young musicians: Get these records 

Clifford Jordan - mosaic 

Kenny Dorham - live at the Cafe Bohemia

Eric Dolphy - out to lunch!

Art Blakey - soul finger

Duke Pearson - honeybuns

- Roy Hargrove

"If it’s not swinging then what’s the point?"

"Music is a kind of ministry. It has the power to uplift. In the right circumstances, we are vessels that give unconditional blessing to those listening. We must use this gift carefully, wisely." - Roy Hargrove

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06tbclb

Shirley Horn - travelin light

Nat King Cole - live at the Sands

Dexter Gordon - biting the Apple

Dizzy Gillespie - the Champ

Miles Davis - bags groove

Horace Silver - the Jody grind

Wayne Shorter - the all seeing eye

Sonny Clark - leapin and lopin

Clifford Brown - three giants (plus 4)

Shirley Horn - here's to life

- Roy Hargrove

Young musicians: Get these records 

Wayne Shorter - the soothsayer

Freddie Hubbard - the hub of hubbard

John Coltrane - ballads

Ahmad Jamal - live at the pershing

Donald Byrd - fuego

- Roy Hargrove

👉 Listen on Spotify

"Bird is essential. The fabric of this music deals with harmonic integrity. Trying to be an improviser without knowing Bird is like writing a novel with no vocabulary." - Roy Hargrove