Roy Hargrove & Mulgrew Miller • In Harmony

 

In ballet, a "pas de deux" is a dance or figure for two performers. In jazz, the concept of two musicians playing together called a duo, has been a fairly familiar concept and undertake by the likes of Stan Getz and Kenny Barron, Chick Corea and Gary Burton as well as pianist Bill Evans and Tony Bennett.

Trumpeter Roy Hargrove and pianist Mulgrew Miller have now added their names to this construct with the issuance of In Harmony which captured these now deceased giants in a previously unreleased live recordings from 2006 and 2007. Co-produced by Zev Feldman and Larry Clothier with executive producer George Klabin, Resonance Records is offering a deluxe limited edition (7000 units) 180 gram hand-numbered 2-LP set, made available in co-operation with the Hargrove and Miller estates.

In this lip smacking thirteen composition recital, Hargrove and Miller take full advantage of those familiar melodies from the American Standards Songbook or jazz touchstones, both of which provide those in attendance with the comfort of acquaintanceship. From the very first notes of the opening track, Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love," it is apparent that Hargrove and Miller were musicians who appreciated and supported each other through their creative efforts. On the following track "This Is Always," Hargrove picks up the flugelhorn to deliver a melodically mellow sound that is seamlessly supported by Miller's sympathetic piano gradations and subtleties. Although Hargrove arrived on the jazz scene several generations removed from Clifford Brown, he did view him as his idol and so it was not surprising that Benny Golson's "I Remember Clifford" was included in this release. With the clarity and brightness of his tone, Hargrove offers a very sensitive ballad reading of the number, while Miller's technical skills are fully and aptly blended in offering support.

This duo effort by Hargrove and Miller was for the most part a step out of character for both musicians, as Hargrove had never recorded an album without a drummer, although Miller had done a duo effort with the Danish bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. But duos can work, much like children playing in a schoolyard, with a give and take that does not attempt to crowd out each other. Two instances of this are Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Triste" and the standard "Invitation." On the former, Miller opens the number by laying down a bossa nova beat, which Hargrove uses to develop some sharp punchy phrasing, that leads to some musical banter between the players at a high level of inventiveness. The latter tune sparkles along in a cheerful way with Miller developing long melodic lines indicating that each note matters as part of the flow. Hargrove demonstrates his silky flair overlaying Miller's note striking.

When the needle drops on any track in this session, listeners are treated to pristine sound restoration and the understanding that the principals did not "mail in" their performances. For example, on the Blue Mitchell number "Fungii Mama" Miller establishes the underlying calypso beat over which Hargrove prances and dances through the melody as the audience provides enthusiastic encouragement. Finally, since Hargrove came from Texas and Miller from Mississippi, the blues and soul tradition moored their upbringing, Hargrove's own composition "Blues For Mr. Hill" is a solid reminder of these roots. Built on a twelve bar blues theme established by Miller, he puts a floor under Hargrove as he develops his ideas based on the structure of the piece. When Miller loads up for his intervention, he knows the path he wants to take with scale fragments, as well as ascending and descending chords, to arrive at his destination.

Complementing this stellar release is an excellent booklet containing rare photos, an essay by Ted Panken, along with interviews and statements from Sonny Rollins, Christian McBride, Ron Carter among others.
BY PIERRE GIROUX
July 19, 2021
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-harmony-roy-hargrove-mulgrew-miller-resonance-records

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En ballet, un "pas de deux" es una danza o figura para dos intérpretes. En el jazz, el concepto de dos músicos que tocan juntos, llamado dúo, ha sido un concepto bastante familiar y emprendido por gente como Stan Getz y Kenny Barron, Chick Corea y Gary Burton, así como el pianista Bill Evans y Tony Bennett.

El trompetista Roy Hargrove y el pianista Mulgrew Miller se suman ahora a esta construcción con la publicación de In Harmony, que recoge a estos gigantes ya fallecidos en unas grabaciones en directo inéditas de 2006 y 2007. Co-producido por Zev Feldman y Larry Clothier con el productor ejecutivo George Klabin, Resonance Records ofrece una edición de lujo limitada (7000 unidades) de 180 gramos numerada a mano en 2-LP, disponible en cooperación con las propiedades de Hargrove y Miller.

En este recital de trece composiciones, Hargrove y Miller aprovechan al máximo esas melodías familiares del American Standards Songbook o las piedras de toque del jazz, que proporcionan a los asistentes la comodidad de lo conocido. Desde las primeras notas del tema de apertura, "What Is This Thing Called Love" de Cole Porter, es evidente que Hargrove y Miller son músicos que se aprecian y apoyan mutuamente en sus esfuerzos creativos. En el siguiente tema, "This Is Always", Hargrove coge el flugelhorn para ofrecer un sonido melódico y suave que está perfectamente apoyado por las simpáticas gradaciones y sutilezas del piano de Miller. Aunque Hargrove llegó a la escena del jazz a varias generaciones de distancia de Clifford Brown, lo consideraba su ídolo, por lo que no es de extrañar que "I Remember Clifford" de Benny Golson se incluyera en este lanzamiento. Con la claridad y el brillo de su tono, Hargrove ofrece una lectura de balada muy sensible del número, mientras que las habilidades técnicas de Miller se combinan plenamente y con acierto para ofrecer apoyo.

Este dúo de Hargrove y Miller fue en gran parte un paso fuera de lo normal para ambos músicos, ya que Hargrove nunca había grabado un álbum sin un baterista, aunque Miller había hecho un dúo con el bajista danés Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. Pero los dúos pueden funcionar, como los niños que juegan en el patio del colegio, con un toma y daca que no intenta desplazar al otro. Dos ejemplos de esto son "Triste" de Antonio Carlos Jobim y el estándar "Invitation". En el primero, Miller abre el número con un ritmo de bossa nova, que Hargrove utiliza para desarrollar un fraseo afilado y con garra, que da lugar a algunas bromas musicales entre los músicos con un alto nivel de inventiva. Esta última melodía chispea de forma alegre con Miller desarrollando largas líneas melódicas que indican que cada nota es importante como parte del flujo. Hargrove demuestra su sedoso talento superponiéndose al golpe de nota de Miller.

Cuando la aguja cae en cualquier pista de esta sesión, los oyentes disfrutan de una restauración de sonido prístina y de la comprensión de que los directores no "enviaron" sus interpretaciones. Por ejemplo, en el número de Blue Mitchell "Fungii Mama", Miller establece el ritmo calipso subyacente sobre el que Hargrove hace cabriolas y baila a través de la melodía mientras el público le anima con entusiasmo. Por último, dado que Hargrove procede de Texas y Miller de Mississippi, la tradición del blues y el soul ancló su educación, la composición de Hargrove "Blues For Mr. Hill" es un sólido recordatorio de estas raíces. Construida sobre un tema de blues de doce compases establecido por Miller, pone un piso debajo de Hargrove mientras desarrolla sus ideas basadas en la estructura de la pieza. Cuando Miller carga para su intervención, sabe el camino que quiere tomar con fragmentos de escala, así como con acordes ascendentes y descendentes, para llegar a su destino.

Como complemento a este lanzamiento estelar se incluye un excelente folleto que contiene fotos poco comunes, un ensayo de Ted Panken, junto con entrevistas y declaraciones de Sonny Rollins, Christian McBride y Ron Carter, entre otros.
POR PIERRE GIROUX
19 de julio de 2021
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-harmony-roy-hargrove-mulgrew-miller-resonance-records

Tracklist
1-1 - What Is this Thing Called Love?
Written-By – C. Porter*
9:09
1-2 - This Is Always
Written-By – H. Warren*, M. Gordon*
8:23
1-3 - I Remember Clifford
Written-By – B. Golson*
8:34
1-4 - Triste
Written-By – A. Jobim*
8:35
1-5 - Invitation
Written-By – B. Kaper*, P.F. Webster*
8:03
1-6 - Con Alma
Written-By – D. Gillespie*
9:43
2-1 - Never Let Me Go
Written-By – R. Evans, J. Livingston*
8:27
2-2 - Just In Time
Written-By – B. Comden, A. Green*, J. Styne*
9:10
2-3 - Fungii Mama
Written-By – B. Mitchell*
6:56
2-4 - Monk's Dream
Written-By – T. Monk*
5:56
2-5 - Ruby, My Dear
Written-By – T. Monk*
7:26
2-6 - Blues For Mr. Hill
Written-By – R. Hargrove*
7:35
2-7 - Ow! (Encore)
Written-By – D. Gillespie*
5:09


Credits:
    Executive-Producer – George Klabin
    Piano – Mulgrew Miller
    Producer [Produced For Release] – Zev Feldman
    Recorded By, Producer [Produced For Release] – Larry Clothier
    Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Roy Hargrove

Notes
Recorded at Merkin Hall on January 15, 2006 in New York City and the Williams Center for the Arts in Easton, Pennsylvania, on November 9, 2007.

Label: Resonance Records – HCD-2060
Released: 23 jul 2021
Genre: Jazz
Style: Bop, Hard Bop, Post Bop, Bossa Nova
https://www.discogs.com/release/19154743-Roy-Hargrove-Mulgrew-Miller-In-Harmony

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