Moment to Moment (Roy Hargrove album)

All About Jazz's Mark Corroto stated: Hargrove has reached a jazz pinnacle, his story has made the cover of jazz magazines and this With Strings record is his parade. [...] A first-class recording and beautiful sound mark Hargrove's sophistication as an artist. He has painted the final scene to a very heartbreaking melancholy film in my mind." Richard S. Ginell of AllMusic wrote: "The leadoff track 'You Go to My Head' is gorgeous; Hargrove plays soulfully and inwardly, and pianist Larry Willis's arrangement is emotionally satisfying without being cloying. However, the disc continues on and on in this fashion, one tune seeming to blend into another, one arrangement sounding like the next... Hargrove tries his own hand at string arranging on his composition 'Natural Wonders'; the results are noticeably less sophisticated and not as richly-harmonized as the others on the disc. [...] Hargrove's undoubted sincerity and musicality go only a limited distance over the 68-minute span of the CD before simply repeating themselves out." A brief by BBC Radio 3 declared that the album proves Hargrove "is the first rank of jazz ballad players". Doug Ramsey, writing for JazzTimes, noted of the album: "His variations maintain the mood and intent of the originals, brilliantly so on 'How Insensitive' and 'I Fall in Love Too Easily.' [...] Hargrove arranged 'Natural Wonders,' which holds its own in the company of classics". Tim Perlich of Toronto's Now newspaper described the album as "a lushly orchestrated set of romantic ballads". In a New York Times interview with journalist Marcus J. Moore, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire praised the album's track "Always and Forever", commenting that it "might be the deepest ballad performance I've ever heard on trumpet", and added: "The strings are lush and not in the way – just enough to hold Roy. [...] His phrasing is quiet and patient, like he's talking to himself and letting us eavesdrop. Every note holds something: pain, humor, the blues, urgency. [...] That kind of vulnerability isn't always safe for us. But Roy made it cool." == Track listing ==

Musicians Roy Hargrove Quintet: • Roy Hargrove – trumpet, flugelhorn; producer, string arranging (5, 9) • Sherman Irby – alto saxophone • Larry Willis – piano, string arranging (1, 4, 7, 11, 12) • Gerald Cannon – double bass • Willie Jones III – drums Monterey Jazz Festival Chamber Orchestra: • Raymond Harry Brown – conductor (2, 6, 8) • Gil Goldstein – conductor (2, 6, 8), string arranging (2, 6, 8) • Cedar Walton – string arranging • Susan C. Brown – concertmaster, concertmaster coordinator • Alice Talbot, Ben Blechman, Carol Kutsch, Cynthia Baehr, Jenny Bifano, Pat Burnam, Sally Dalke – violin • Eleanor Angel, Ken Harrison, Sarah Hart – viola • Aria DiSalvio, Daniel Levitov, Karen Andrei, St. Bass – cello • Stan Poplin, Tom Derthick – string bass Technical • Larry Clothier – producer, liner notes • Tommy LiPuma – executive producer • Jason Olaine – associate producer, A&R • John Newcott, Robert Silverberg – release coordinator • Phil Edwards, Gil Goldstein – recording engineer • Christopher Bourke – assistant recording engineer, technician • Doug Sax – mastering • Al Schmitt – mixing • Dale Fitzgerald – business production manager • Hardgroove Ent. Inc. – management • Philip Elwood – liner notes • Hollis King – art direction • Mike Piazza – photography == References ==