“…with a straight-ahead group, everyone has to contribute, (both) opening things up compositionally (and) keeping the program well-rounded.” -Roy Hargrove

Justin Robinson and Roy Hargrove © Andrea Canter

One of the finest trumpeters in the world, Multiple Grammy-Award winning jazz trumpeter/composer Roy Hargrove has always explored diverse music, from Afro-Cuban to funk, even venturing into pop mainstream. A major force on the jazz scene since his teens, Hargrove continues to stretch his musical boundaries. A collaborator in recent years with Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, and McCoy Tyner, Hargrove plays hard-swinging trumpet and lush flugelhorn. He leads his straight-ahead quintet in further explorations of post-bop modern jazz.  Hargrove will perform with his quintet at the Jazz Showcase into the new year on Wednesday, December 26th through Tuesday, January 1st.

Larry Coryell © Andrea Canter

As one of the pioneers of jazz-rock -- perhaps the pioneer in the ears of some -- guitarist Larry Coryell deserves a special place in the history books. Dubbed "the godfather of fusion" by one of his most celebrated disciples, Al Di Meola, Larry Coryell brought what amounted to a nearly alien sensibility to jazz electric guitar playing in the 1960s, a hard-edged, cutting tone, phrasing and note-bending that owed as much to blues, rock and even country as it did to earlier, smoother bop influences. Yet as a true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, he is comfortable in almost every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar. Larry Coryell and his trio will perform at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago onThursday, December 6th through Sunday, December 9th.