Friday, November 09, 2018

Dreaming of the Masters


Sadly, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, who embodied the brightest promise of the next generation of jazz musicians, passed away last weekend at the age of 49.  The cause of death was listed as cardiac arrest; Hargrove had been on dialysis for many years and was admitted to the hospital for kidney problems.  

NPR described Hargrove as "a young steward of the bebop tradition and a savvy bridge to hip-hop and R&B." 

The jazz tradition is still hanging on, if only by the thinnest of threads, and the loss of Hargrove's voice is a monumental loss to the ongoing dialogue. 

This isn't about us, the audience, though.  We should keep in mind that we are mourning the loss of a human life, not just an entertainer playing for our amusement.  Our deepest sympathies go out to Hargrove's family and loved ones.

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