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Widely recognised as one of the top improvising trumpeters touring today, Roy Hargrove and his quintet will perform for local jazz lovers in September.
A gifted trumpet and flugelhorn player, Hargrove has emerged as one of the most influential artists leading the recent resurgence in acoustic Jazz music. He has wowed crowds throughout the world with his band, which is arguably one of the most exciting bands in jazz, and has also impressed critics.
When he was 18, Hargrove met trumpet superstar Wynton Marsalis, the man who would galvanise him into realising his dream of making jazz as a professional career. When Marsalis made an unannounced visit to Hargrove's school, he was so impressed by Hargrove's musical talent that he immediately arranged special class for him. He also offered Hargrove the opportunity to travel to New York, and later to Europe and Japan. Hargrove soon became a member of the New York Jazz community and recorded with Bobby Watson, Ricky Ford and Carl Allen, as well as a sideman with Don Sickler's "Superblue" band.
After graduating from high school in 1988, Hargrove entered the Berklee School of Music on various scholarships, including one from "Down Beat" magazine, which had selected him as the best jazz soloist of the year. In 1990 Hargrove moved to New York, where he enrolled in the New School's Jazz and Contemporary Music programme.
In 1993, before he was 25, Hargrove was already a major star in the world of contemporary jazz. Three years later, he formed a group known as "Crisol" (Spanish for melting pot) featuring both Cuban percussionists and African-American jazz players and recorded live at the Orvieto (Italy) Jazz Festival. The CD, "Habana", was marketed in 1997 with imposing success and won a Grammy Award.
"Jazz Up: Roy Hargrove Quintet" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The concert will start at 8pm, September 7 (Friday) at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall.
Tickets priced at $150, $300 and $400 are now available at URBTIX outlets, while senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients may have 50% off (limited quotas for students and CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). 10% discount applies to Friends of LCSD performing venues, or a single purchase of the concert with another Jazz Up programme "Eriko Ishihara" on October 19 (Friday).
For enquiries about the programmes, call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp. Ticketing enquiries and reservations can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:01
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