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16 October 1969 – 2 November 2018
Gifted jazz trumpeter, Roy Hargrove has died at age 49 after
suffering cardiac arrest.
Hargrove had been on dialysis for many years and had been admitted
to the hospital for “reasons related to kidney function”
at the time of his death.
Roy Hargrove was born in Waco, Texas, October 16, 1969. He was
surrounded by music from an early age (his father was a musician
in the army) but it was his elementary and high school band director,
Dean Hill, who sparked his interest in a performing career. Hill
would prove to be an important mentor and guide encouraging Hargrove
to explore many elements of jazz and various jazz musicians.
Hargrove spent two years at Boston’s prestigious Berklee
School of Music (1988 -1990) and attended the New School for Social
Research Jazz and Contemporary Music Program in 1990. During this
time Hargrove could also be found sitting in on jam sessions with
various musicians around New York City clubs.
Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis invited Hargrove to sit in with his group
at the Caravan Of Dreams Performing Arts Center in Fort Worth, Texas
after listening to his performance at the Dallas Arts Magnet High
School. Marsalis would later contribute on Hargrove’s acclaimed
1995 “Family” album.
Hargrove’s debut album “Diamond in the Rough”
and three succeeding recordings were among the most commercially
successful jazz recordings of the early 1990’s. Hargrove however,
would not rest on his laurels and continued honing his craft by
performing with jazz luminaries such as saxophonist Sonny Rollins
and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.
To date Hargrove has worked, or recorded with the likes of Sonny
Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Joushua Redman, Jackie
McLean, Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Diana Ross, Rhian Benson, Erikah
Badu, D’Angelo, the late Shirley Horn and Kenny Rankin to
name a few.
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