Customer Reviews

Strength

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Roy Hargrove mentioned in a recent magazine article that RH Factor was his opportunity to play in the style of some of the music he grew up listening to. His goal was to play it like he heard it back then, but also to update the sound to incorporate things he has learned along the way. To that end, "Strength", just like "Hard Groove" is an unqualified success. Where as "Hard Groove" laid more on the R&B vibe, "Strength" migrates over to the Soul Jazz landscape.

There is a solid 1970's vibe running through each track on this disc. "Rich Man's Welfare" is a J B's type jam with a strong groove and firery horns. You can hear Tower of Power themes running through "Bop Drop". This track is cut from the same fabric as "Oakland Stoke" and "Squibb Cakes". It has a great organ & horn jam section at the end . The title track "Strength" is a nod to the vibe Donald Byrd created during his "Blackbirds" and "Places and Spaces" period. This music also hints at the electric jazz that Feddie Hubbard recorded during his 70's Columbia period. "Listen Here" is straight up Soul Jazz with a hint of Crusaders and electric Miles Davis. "For Fun" would have fitted comfortably on "Hard Groove" with its' nice R & B / dancefloor groove. "Universe" takes me back to Donald Byrd and Lonnie Liston Smith with a hint of Freddie Hubbard. Nice job Roy.

Some will write these tracks off as out of character for Roy Hargrove. This music is important because it is a part of the Roy Hargrove's history. Every now and then, we all need to reflect back on the things in our past that made us who we are today. RH Factor allows Roy to reconnect to something he obviously loves. I enjoyed this recording as much as I have enjoyed everthing he has recorded in the past. Whether he plays Jazz, Cuban music, R&B or Soul Jazz, Roy Hargrove has something to say. He plays what's in his heart, and for that, I respect his talent and the way he presents his music. Nice going Roy - Peace!!!

Not for everyone, but the music on this record is definitely way up there. It's the new bop folks, listen up.

I don't feel that the RH Factor's first album "didn't keep its momentum all the way through." That is one of the best albums in history. The music has such a positive message and is so uplifting. Strength, on the other hand, is much less focused. The approach is more of a jam session, whereas on Hard Groove the whole record is about the songs and the arrangements. One track on Strength, "For Fun," is simply "Common Free Style," with a displaced melody and without the free style. I would have expected more great collaborations with people like D'Angelo and Erykah for the RH Factor's second record. Strength is cool and has the same energy that the funk tunes on RH Factor do, but it is the combination of the funk, beautiful songs, and amazing vocalists and instrumentalists that made RH Factor unique, and one of my favorite albums ever.

This is one of those albums that you can listen too on repeat and it just never gets old. The rhythm section is insanely tight and the brass/ woodwind compliment this over the top with incredible playing. An amazing modern funk bop album. Good music is still alive :D

listening to roy hargrove and karl denson play is as exciting as joe henderson/lee morgon or miles an trane. nuff said

How could anyone not like this? You people gotta be deaf or something. TO ANYONE WITH BETTER TASTE THAN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS REVIEWERS: This album's great, I don't think Roy is capable of writing somethin bad.

i love listening to roy play. one of my favorite things is to hear and see him live. w. any musician, in any setting. but this release just sucks.

nothing novel here. lame lyrics.

yeah, first track is alright, but the whole thing pisses me off b/c he can, and does, put out such better quality music when he plays live. i expect so much more of roy.

and call him george. you go brotha.

i dig "rich man's welfare". twangy track gets you up on your feet to stomp. reminescent of roy's strong mark on the fela tribute "red hot & riot" - outstanding recording that benefits AIDS patients.

instrumentally, hope roy swings rh factor more this way (can see the all too fly crowd bop now), and continues to hit the world with his phenomenal *live* quintet (no one else can do such gorgeous, heart-wrenching jazz ballads so (im)perfectly). love the drums. and ok, if you insist on bringin' in some vocals sure omar, renee, d'angelo, hamilton, q-tip, and eb are by no means bad choices. yo, it ain't "hip hop". it's a jazz thing. it's a black thing. it's a nyc backstreet. dinner party. highland jungle. getting ready to go out. river running valley-thing.

Roy Hargrove is a cornerstone in modern music. How can one man "master" so many styles? Where would the music world be without this man? To hear Roy Hargrove please listen to the Ultimate Radio Station on www.iM4radio.com and simply click the black button in the middle of the screen to launch the free and clear station. Call and request his music on the iNfinte gRoove w/ Cleveland M-F 2-4pm (est.) on iM4radio.com
Enjoy!

...AND IM HAPPY ABOUT IT!
i think i might cry if'n it shows up again. fareals.

if albums where 3 dimensional this wouldn e'en make the c-side!
i love me some roy, but bruh hurt me with this one.

i forgive him tho, cause he done gave me much much pleasure up til now... ...um, hope that came out right.

*pimp struts off stage/pounds chest with gorilla fist/machismo free flowing*

m'out yall, peace!