JAZZ REVIEWS : A Talented Hargrove Needs to Develop His Own Style

Roy Hargrove has the look of a boxer--and a good one, at that. Strolling on stage at Catalina’s Bar & Grill on Tuesday night for the opening set of a six-night run, the much-heralded young trumpeter was trim and dapper, his compact frame perfectly garbed in a doe-colored, double-breasted suit that would have delighted Sugar Ray Robinson.

Much of his visual style--a precisely assembled outer image energized by a self-possessed inner attitude--was reflected in his music. Confident and poised, he danced and sparred his way through ballads (“Stairway to the Stars”) and up-tempos (his own “Trilogy”) with the cool aplomb of an artist who seems to know exactly where he wants to go.

Initially influenced by Freddie Hubbard, Hargrove’s playing has become more eclectic in the last year or so, expanding to add the crisp technical articulation of Clifford Brown and the melodious tonal approach of Art Farmer.

But Hargrove needs to spend more sparing time in the gym, punching out his own style. Still evolving, he is continuing to gather the small, significant bits and pieces that make up the ultimate personal expression of any jazz player. However, if he is to step up to a higher level of creativity, Hargrove must balance his upfront assuredness with an exploration of deeper feelings of warmth and vulnerability. He clearly has the capability to do so.

His group was first-rate, the kind of all-star assembly that too rarely risks coming together in the same ensemble. Pianist Stephen Scott, a leader in his own right, brought wit and wisdom to solos that strung together catchy, melodic riffing and long, keyboard-scouring, rhythmically propulsive lines. Lesser-known, but equally skilled saxophonist Ron Blake cruised through a series of ear-grabbing choruses brimful of the playful, melodic fragmentation once characteristic of Sonny Rollins. And Rodney Whitaker on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums provided a rhythmic underpinning that was both participatory and supportive.

* Roy Hargrove Quintet at Catalina Bar & Grill through Sunday. 1640 N. Cahuenga Blvd., (213) 466-2210. $12 cover tonight and Sunday, $15 cover Friday and Saturday, with two-drink minimum. Hargrove performs two shows nightly, at 8:30 and 10:30.