Approaching Standards
| Approaching Standards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Recorded | December 1989 – February 1993 | |||
| Studio | BMG Studios, NYC Clinton Recording Studios, NYC | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 63:38 | |||
| Label | Novus/RCA/BMG 01241 63178 2 | |||
| Producer | Larry Clothier | |||
| Roy Hargrove chronology | ||||
| ||||
Approaching Standards is a compilation album by trumpeter Roy Hargrove, with tracks taken from four sessions between December 1989 to February 1993, released on the Novus/RCA/BMG labels in 1994.[1][2][3]
Reception
Don Cross of AllMusic described the album as "A poorly put-together compilation" and that "Approaching Standards serves only to illuminate Hargrove's failure to understand ballad material on his earlier recordings. Ballads dominate the album, accounting for seven of the album's ten tracks; Hargrove generally interprets them in a cool, emotionally detached manner which can be quite off-putting." However, Cross noted that the album "somewhat more encouragingly also documents Hargrove's growth as a musician" with "'Everything I Have Is Yours / Dedicated to You'... find[ing] Hargrove in a more mature frame of mind, and point[ing] toward the much better albums he would soon make."[1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [1] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Easy to Remember" | 6:17 | |
| 2. | "Ruby My Dear" | Thelonious Monk | 6:17 |
| 3. | "Whisper Not" | Benny Golson | 7:31 |
| 4. | "What's New" | 5:10 | |
| 5. | "September in the Rain" | 7:23 | |
| 6. | "You Don't Know What Love Is" | 6:20 | |
| 7. | "End of a Love Affair" | Edward C. Redding | 8:05 |
| 8. | "Things We Did Last Summer" | 5:38 | |
| 9. | "Everything I Have Is Yours" / "Dedicated to You" | "Everything I Have Is Yours": "Dedicated to You": | 4:48 |
| 10. | "My Shining Hour" | 6:09 | |
| Total length: | 63:38 | ||
- Tracks 1–3 first appeared on Diamond in the Rough (Novus/RCA, recorded December 1989)[5]
- Tracks 4–7 first appeared on Public Eye (Novus/RCA, recorded October 1990)[6]
- Track 8 first appeared on The Vibe (Novus/RCA; unknown recording date, released April 8, 1992)[7]
- Tracks 9 & 10 first appeared on Of Kindred Souls (Novus/RCA; various unknown recording dates, released April 23, 1993)[8]
Personnel
Musicians
- Roy Hargrove – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Antonio Hart – alto saxophone (4–8)
- Ron Blake – tenor and soprano saxophones (9, 10)
- Frank Lacy – trombone (8)
- John Hicks (1–3), Stephen Scott (4–7), Marc Cary (8–10) – piano
- Scott Colley (1–3), Christian McBride (4–7), Rodney Whitaker (8–10) – double bass
- Al Foster (1–3), Billy Higgins (4–7), Gregory Hutchinson (8–10) – drums
- Roy Hargrove Quintet – ensemble (9, 10)
Production
- Larry Clothier – producer
- Jacqueline Murphy – art direction
- Amy Wenzler – design
- Ruedi Hofmann – photography
References
- ^ a b c Cross, Dan. "Approaching Standards – Roy Hargrove | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Gliožeris, Slava. "ROY HARGROVE — Approaching Standards". www.jazzmusicarchives.com. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ "Approaching Standards by Roy Hargrove – Jazz Album". All About Jazz. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ H.B. (1999). Swenson, John (ed.). The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (2nd ed.). Random House. p. 289. ISBN 0-679-76873-4. Retrieved January 19, 2026 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "Diamond in the Rough – Roy Hargrove | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "Public Eye – Roy Hargrove | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "The Vibe – Roy Hargrove | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. "Of Kindred Souls – Roy Hargrove Quintet | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2026.