Moment to Moment
Since the 1950s, the albumClifford Brown with Stringshas set the standard for playing ballads on the trumpet. In the 1980s, Wynton Marsalis'sHot House Flowerswas a welcome addition to that ballad tradition. WithMoment to Moment, Roy Hargrove sets a soft tone for the 21st century. Backed by alto saxophonistSherman Irby, pianistLarry Willis, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Willie Jones III, Hargrove's tender trumpet and flügelhorn beautifully combine the best ofFreddie Hubbard's power andArt Farmer's phrasing. Draped with pillow-soft orchestrations by Hargrove, Willis,Cedar Walton, and Gil Goldstein, the leader sings through his horn with a longing and lyrical melodic touch. Chestnuts like "You Go to My Head,"Antonio Carlos Jobim's "How Insensitive," and the title track byHenry Mancinicome alive with the same freshness found on Hargrove's newer gems, includingPat Metheny's tearful "Always and Forever" and the trumpeter's own "Natural Wonders." Simply put, this offering from Roy Hargrove is a splendid love letter for a new century.--Eugene Holley Jr.