Hard Groove

Hard Groove
Studio album by
Roy Hargrove
ReleasedMay 20, 2003
RecordedJanuary–September, 2002
StudioElectric Lady Studios, NYC
Genre
Length72:17
LabelVerve[1]
065 192-2
ProducerRoy Hargrove
Roy Hargrove chronology
Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall
(2002) 		Hard Groove
(2003) 		Strength
(2004)

Hard Groove is a studio album by American trumpeter Roy Hargrove, released on May 20, 2003.[2][3] It is credited to his group, The RH Factor.[4]

The album peaked at No. 185 on the Billboard 200.[5] "I'll Stay" was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals" category.[6]

Production

Produced by Hargrove, the album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.[7][8] Hargrove used a 10-piece band on the album.[9] He considered it to be a tribute to his childhood love of hip hop; he also wanted to impart a gospel or spiritual element to the music.[10][11] Bassists Reggie Washington and Pino Palladino were among the musicians on the album.[12]

D'Angelo appears on the cover of Funkadelic's "I'll Stay".[13] Renée Neufville sang on "Juicy",[14] while Q-Tip rapped on "Poetry", which whom Meshell Ndegeocello and Erykah Badu also appeared on.[15][16] Anthony Hamilton sang on "Kwah/Home".[17]

The album cover was designed by Rudy Gutierrez, who was inspired by the art of Santana's Abraxas.[18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz[19]
AllMusic[20]
The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionB[14]
The Gazette[16]
The Guardian[21]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings[22]

The Boston Globe deemed Hard Groove a "genre-busting album [that] is a funky showcase of Hargrove's musical alacrity."[23] The New York Times labeled it "a late-night party album: it begins upbeat then settles into a stoned haze."[24] The Birmingham Post concluded that "there's a 1970's retro feel which conjures up Donald Byrd's hits, as well as some funk worthy of George Clinton, but it's also very up-to-date, especially in the sophistication of the studio sound."[25]

The Washington Post wrote: "Loose-limbed and groove-driven, it occasionally sounds overplayed and undercomposed as the musicians struggle to find the right balance of rhythmic momentum and jazz improvisation."[15] The New York Amsterdam News stated that Hargrove "plays on the edge of his imagination using jazz improvisations as the key to display another exciting element of his creativity."[26]

AllMusic called the album "an exploration of his multidimensional musical attributes and his belated recognition of years of 'open-eared moonlighting'."[20] The Penguin Guide to Jazz determined that "Pastor 'T'" "might be one of Hargrove's best performances on record."[22]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Roy Hargrove except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hardgroove"Bernard Wright5:31
2."Common Free Style"
5:57
3."I'll Stay"
7:50
4."Interlude"
  • Hargrove
  • Stephen Jones
  • Esantis Washington
0:59
5."Pastor 'T'"Keith Anderson5:44
6."Poetry"
5:48
7."The Joint" 5:41
8."Forget Regret"Jacques Schwarz-Bart3:52
9."Out of Town" 3:58
10."Liquid Streets" 4:59
11."Kwah/Home" 6:00
12."How I Know"
4:56
13."Juicy"
6:34
14."The Stroke" 4:28
Total length:72:17

Personnel

Music

Production

  • Larry Clothier – executive producer
  • Jason Olaine – co-production
  • Russell "The Dragon" Elevado – co-production, engineering, mixing
  • Steve Mandel, Steef Van De Gevel – engineering (additional)
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • John Newcott, Kelly Pratt – release coordinator
  • Hollis King – art direction, design
  • Sachico Asano – design
  • Hans Neleman – photography
  • Rudy Guiterrez – illustrations (front cover)

References

  1. ^ Norment, Lynn (June 2003). "Sounding Off". Ebony. 58 (8): 32.
  2. ^ Collar, Matt. "Roy Hargrove Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  3. ^ Hendrickson, Tad (May 12, 2003). "Birth of the Groove". CMJ New Music Report. 75 (813): 11.
  4. ^ Schwartz, Danny (November 7, 2018). "Send It On: Roy Hargrove's Immaculate Blend of Jazz, Hip-Hop, and R&B". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  5. ^ "Roy Hargrove". Billboard. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  6. ^ "Roy Hargrove | Artist | GRAMMY.com". Grammy Awards. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  7. ^ Johnson, Martin (May 31, 2003). "Hard Groove". Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 22. p. 60.
  8. ^ Infantry, Ashante (May 27, 2003). "Harmonizing to Hargrove". Toronto Star. p. D5.
  9. ^ Ouellette, Dan (April 2003). "The question is ... What do you expect from Roy Hargrove's new funk project?". DownBeat. 70 (4): 20.
  10. ^ Guzman, Rafer (May 18, 2003). "Riffer Madness?". Newsday. p. D22.
  11. ^ Ollison, Rashod D. (May 15, 2003). "Hargrove is jamming to a whole new groove". The Baltimore Sun. p. 24T.
  12. ^ Waggoner, Eric (October 2003). "Hard groove". Jazziz. 20 (10): 74–75.
  13. ^ Booth, Philip (May 22, 2003). "Roy Hargrove presents the RH Factor". Miami New Times. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  14. ^ a b Murray, Sonia (May 27, 2003). "Contemporary Jazz". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D5.
  15. ^ a b Robson, Britt (May 27, 2003). "Hargrove's 'RH Factor': Mixing In Some New Blood". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  16. ^ a b Dunlevy, T'Cha (June 19, 2003). "Newly released compact discs". The Gazette. p. D5.
  17. ^ Walters, John L. (July 18, 2003). "On the edge". Guardian Friday Pages. The Guardian. p. 20.
  18. ^ Rivers, Jeff (May 22, 2003). "CD Cover Artist Rudy Gutierrez 'Paints' the Music". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 32.
  19. ^ Slawecki, Chris M. (July 25, 2003). "Roy Hargrove Presents the RH Factor: Hard Groove". All About Jazz. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  20. ^ a b Edelstein, Paula. "Hard Groove - The RH Factor | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  21. ^ Walters, John L. (April 8, 2004). "Roy Hargrove & the RH Factor". The Guardian. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  22. ^ a b The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (8th ed.). Penguin Books. 2006. p. 591.
  23. ^ Graham, Renee (May 20, 2003). "Hargrove Proves He Grooves On More Than Just Jazz". The Boston Globe. p. C1.
  24. ^ Ratliff, Ben (May 20, 2003). "CRITIC'S CHOICE/NEW CD'S; Smooth? How About Some Chunky?". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  25. ^ Bacon, Peter (June 21, 2003). "Jazz CDs". Features. Birmingham Post. p. 52.
  26. ^ Scott, Ron (May 29, 2003). "Jazz CDs for summer pleasure". New York Amsterdam News. p. 19.
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