Roy Hargrove Quintet With The Tenors of Our Time – (1994 – Label: Verve)

Verve has certainly pushed the boat out for Hargrove, newly captured from Novus. For his first release they have provided him with no less than five guest stars—all tenor players. They are Joe Henderson, Johnny Griffin, Stanley Turrentine, Branford Marsalis and Joshua Redman. What Hargrove’s incumbent tenor player, Ron Blake, thought of this is not known, but he plays remarkably well himself. The change certainly seems to have done Hargrove good. He sounds more relaxed and expansive here than on previous albums, with the slightly manic enthusiasm toned down a bit, although this was always more evident in person than on record. He is 23 now, roughly the same age as Lee Morgan when he was with The Messengers, no longer a prodigy with something to prove. It is now 38 years since Clifford Brown died and his influence among trumpeters has proved as durable as Charlie Christian’s among guitarists. Who could have imagined then the brilliant players yet unborn who would follow his brief, inspiring example?

Tracklist:
1. Soppin’ The Biscuit   
2. When We Were One   
3. Valse Hot   
4. Once Forgotten   
5. Shade Of Jade   
6. Greens At The Chicken Shack   
7. Never Let Me Go   
8. Serenity   
9. Across The Pond   
10. Wild Is Love   
11. Mental Phrasing   
12. April’s Fool

Personnel
Roy Hargrove (Tp, fh)
Ron Blake (Sop & Ten Sax)
Cyrus Chestnut (Piano)
Rodney Whitaker (Bass)
Gregory Hutchinson (Drums)

Additional personnel: (Ten Sax)
Stanley Turrentine,
Johnny Griffin,
Joshua Redman,
Joe Henderson,
Branford Marsalis    

Recorded at Clinton Recording Studios, New York, New York on January 16 & 17, 1994 and at Teatro Mancinelli, Orvieto, Italy on December 28, 1993. Includes liner notes by Bob Blumenthal. – Label: Verve

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Kenny Kirkland: Kenny Kirkland (1991 – Grp)

 Keyboardist Kenny Kirkland’s long-overdue debut as a leader really stretches his talents and is occasionally unpredictable. Virtually each of the performances has its own personality and the personnel and instrumentation differ throughout the release. Among the highlights is “Mr. J.C.” (which features some stormy Branford Marsalis tenor), an electric Latin but still boppish update of Bud Powell’s “Celia” (taken as a duet with percussionist Don Alias), the struttin’ “Steepian Faith,” a driving rendition of Ornette Coleman’s “When Will the Blues Leave” that has some free bop alto from Roderick Ward, and Latin versions (with percussionist Jerry Gonzalez) of two standards not normally thought of as belonging to that idiom: Wayne Shorter’s “Ana Maria” and Thelonious Monk’s “Criss Cross.” This album has more than its share of brilliant moments.
Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Track List:
1. Mr. J.C.
2. Midnight Silence
3. El Rey – Watts
4. Sleepian Faith
5. Celia
6. Chance
7. When Will the Blues Leave?
8. Ana Maria – Shorter
9. Revelations
10. Criss-Cross
11. Blasphemy

Personnel:
Kenny Kirkland (Piano – Keyb)
Branford Marsalis (Sopr &Ten Sax)
Roderick Ward (Alto Sax)
Roderick Ward (Alto Sax)
Robert Hurst (Bass)
Christian McBride (Bass), 
Charnett Moffett (Bass),
Jeff “Tain” Watts (Drums)
Don Alias (Percu & Bongos)
Steve Berrios (Percu & Drums),   
Jerry Gonzalez (Percu & Conga)

Original Release Date: 1991  –  Label: Grp Records
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