Bern captures Roy Hargrove at the absolute zenith of his artistry. Recorded live on May 4, 2000 at the International Jazzfestival Bern and previously unissued until now, the album documents the Grammy Award–winning trumpeter and bandleader at age 30, leading a blistering all-star quintet in a performance brimming with fire, finesse, and invention. Released by Time Traveler Recordings in partnership with the Roy Hargrove Estate, Bern stands as a vital new chapter in the legacy of one of modern jazz’s most commanding voices.
Produced by Zev Feldman and James Batsford, with Hargrove’s widow Aida Brandes-Hargrove serving as Executive Producer, the recording was originally captured by 3sat during a period when Hargrove was redefining what a modern jazz trumpeter could be. The deluxe 180-gram, limited-edition LP has been painstakingly restored and mastered for vinyl by Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab, then pressed at Optimal Media in Germany. Featuring extensive liner notes by acclaimed jazz writer Nate Chinen, Bern will be released as an exclusive Record Store Day title on April 18, 2026, with CD and digital editions following on April 24. The single “Circus” arrives on all platforms February 4, 2026.
From his explosive arrival on the New York jazz scene in the late 1980s through his untimely passing in 2018, Roy Hargrove stood apart as a singular force. Equally revered for his post-bop mastery, his groundbreaking Afro-Cuban work with Crisol, and his genre-bending contributions to neo-soul and hip-hop alongside artists like Erykah Badu and D’Angelo, Hargrove moved fluently between worlds without ever diluting his voice. Yet at the heart of it all was a jazz musician forged in the lineage of Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, and Freddie Hubbard — a lineage that burns brightly throughout Bern.
This previously unheard performance places Hargrove in the crucible he thrived in most: the live bandstand. Backed by a quicksilver quintet featuring pianist Larry Willis, bassist Gerald Cannon, drummer Willie Jones III, and alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, Hargrove stretches out across five expansive tracks, each running between ten and sixteen minutes. Familiar material from albums such as Moment to Moment and The Vibe takes on new urgency, while selections connected to Manhattan Projects and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers are transformed through the band’s collective intensity.
Driven by Jones’ deep, unshakeable pocket and Cannon’s muscular basslines, Willis’ elegant yet probing pianism and Irby’s soulful alto lines spark Hargrove’s bravura trumpet work at every turn. On Frank Lacy’s fiery “Stranded,” Hargrove’s horn darts and soars with fearless abandon. “Depth” unfolds with rhythmic precision and momentum, while the ballad “Never Let Me Go” reveals the trumpeter’s luminous, burnished tone. “Caryisms” injects funk into the set, peppered with sly nods to Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” and the Meters’ “Cissy Strut,” before the album closes with the kinetic, Afro-inflected drive of “Circus.”
For producer Zev Feldman, Bern is both a revelation and a responsibility. “Roy Hargrove is such an important artist with a legacy that burns bright in our hearts,” he says. “I love Roy, and I’m deeply honored to have played a part in bringing this music into the world with the support of Aida Brandes-Hargrove and the Roy Hargrove Estate. This is a big win for the fans — and for jazz history.”
Aida Brandes-Hargrove echoes that sentiment, describing the recording as a vivid snapshot of Hargrove in full command of his art. “Roy is so in his element here, and the group’s chemistry is through the roof,” she writes. “This recording captures what made his live performances so electrifying and mesmerizing. Everyone needs to hear it.”
Roy Hargrove’s premature passing remains one of the great tragedies in contemporary jazz, making every recovered document of his creativity invaluable. Bern is more than an archival discovery — it is a living, breathing testament to a modern master at his peak, and a powerful reminder of how deeply Roy Hargrove continues to resonate in the music we hear today.
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