Diamond in the Rough (Roy Hargrove album)
| Diamond in the Rough | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 13, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | December 1989 | |||
| Studio | Studio A, BMG Recording Studios, New York City BMG Studios, January 1990 (mixing) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 63:04 | |||
| Label | Novus/RCA PD90471 | |||
| Producer | Larry Clothier | |||
| Roy Hargrove chronology | ||||
| ||||
Diamond in the Rough is the first studio album trumpeter Roy Hargrove, his debut as leader;[1][2] it was recorded in December 1989 and released on April 13, 1990, on the Novus/RCA label.[3][4] The album features close musical compatriots of Hargrove: saxophonists Antonio Hart and Ralph Moore, pianists Geoffrey Keezer and John Hicks, bassists Charles Fambrough and Scott Colley, and drummers Al Foster and Ralph Peterson Jr.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Scott Yanow, writing for AllMusic, was positive of the album, stating: "Trumpeter Roy Hargrove's debut as a leader found him occasionally recalling Freddie Hubbard but already sounding fairly original in the hard bop genre. [...] Hargrove shows restraint and maturity in his lyrical ballad statement while featuring his strong bop chops on most of the other selections." However, he continued that "The one fault to the CD is that the performances and solos are often a little too brief".[2] The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote of the album: "[it] offers outstanding playing and clean technique and tone; the compositions by Hargrove and Keezer stand up surprisingly well in the company of Thelonious Monk, Benny Golson and Rodgers and Hammerstein [sic]."[5] Gary Giddins, for Entertainment Weekly, commented: "Hargrove's eagerly awaited debut album, though flawed, is an event. It's a shade overproduced – restrained performances, short solos – but his talent is unmistakable. [...] Throughout a program that includes jazz classics, fetching originals, and a signature Bing Crosby Ballad ('Easy to Remember'), he demonstrates a natural musicality, warm timbre, savvy dynamics, and surprising composure."[6]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Roy Hargrove except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Proclamation" | Geoffrey Keezer | 6:12 |
| 2. | "Ruby My Dear" | Thelonious Monk | 6:13 |
| 3. | "A New Joy" | 6:01 | |
| 4. | "Confidentiality" | 4:58 | |
| 5. | "Broski" | Charles Fambrough | 4:12 |
| 6. | "Whisper Not" | Benny Golson | 7:40 |
| 7. | "All Over Again" | 5:47 | |
| 8. | "Easy to Remember" | 6:10 | |
| 9. | "Premonition" | Keezer | 5:37 |
| 10. | "BHG" | Keezer | 6:05 |
| 11. | "Wee" (a.k.a. "Allen's Alley") | Denzil Best | 4:09 |
| Total length: | 63:04 | ||
Personnel
Music
- Roy Hargrove – trumpet
- Antonio Hart – alto saxophone
- Ralph Moore – tenor saxophone (1, 5, 7, 9, 10)
- Geoffrey Keezer (1, 5, 7, 9, 10), John Hicks (2–4, 6, 8, 11) – piano
- Charles Fambrough (1, 5, 7, 9, 10), Scott Colley (2–4, 6, 8, 11) – double bass
- Al Foster (2–4, 6, 8, 11), Ralph Peterson Jr. (1, 5, 7, 9, 10) – drums
Production
- Larry Clothier – production
- James Nichols – recording engineer
- Jack Adelman – mastering
- Steve Backer – series director
- Ria Lewerke – art direction, design
- Steve Prezant – photography
References
- ^ "JJ 10/90: Roy Hargrove – Diamond In The Rough". Jazz Journal. October 29, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ a b c Yanow, Scott. "Diamond in the Rough – Roy Hargrove | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ Gliožeris, Slava. "ROY HARGROVE — Diamond in the Rough". www.jazzmusicarchives.com. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ Chinen, Nate (November 3, 2018). "Roy Hargrove Grammy Winning Jazz Trumpeter Dies at 49". NPR. Retrieved January 12, 2026.
- ^ a b H.B. (1999). Swenson, John (ed.). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (2nd ed.). Random House. p. 289. ISBN 0-679-76873-4. Retrieved January 12, 2026 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Giddins, Gary (May 25, 1990). "Diamond in the Rough". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2026.