Biography

Roy Hargrove (1969-2018) pioneered jazz hip-hop fusion, and was among the best trumpeters of his generation. Born and raised in Texas, Hargrove attended the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where he was discovered by Wynton Marsalis. He began his recording career in 1988 as a sideman for saxophonist Bobby Watson, and soon after recorded a project with the group Superblue. Throughout the 1990s, Hargrove’s recordings centered on straight-ahead jazz, including With the Tenors of Our Time (1994), and Parker’s Mood (1995). In the 2000s, he shifted towards more funk and soul oriented music, collaborating with the likes of D’Angelo, Common, and Erykah Badu. His own group, the RH Factor, also used this blend of jazz, soul, and funk elements. Hargrove continued playing this style of music with his bands throughout the 2000s, recording his influential album Earfood in 2008. The album features the song “Strasbourg/St. Denis,” which has become Hargrove’s most popular composition. Despite his emphasis on this fusion of styles, Roy Hargrove always kept a foot in the jazz world, and even lead his own big band. The growing popularity of jazz hip-hop and similar styles proves Hargrove’s tremendous influence on current music, and he will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time.