Where Were You? – Roy Hargrove

This post-bop ballad combines II-V7-based and less obvious harmonies, connected with a lyrical melody that winds through the numerous key centers. The form is an unusually truncated AABC: the A and C sections are 4 measures of 4/4 followed by one measure of 2/4, and the B section is also 4 measures long in 4/4. Though there is no single key center, the melody implies B♭ major, which is the first chord; in fact, except for the E natural and C♯ in the first and second measures, the A section melody is diatonic to B♭ major though the changes are not. The bridge melody implies B♭ minor (the first chord here) or E♭ minor.

About the arrangement: On the recording, the trumpet and alto sax trade off on the melody. The trumpet has the A sections, with alto on the bridge; the last two measures of the bridge have trumpet harmony notes. We have trumpet and alto parts showing exactly how Roy Hargrove and Antonio Hart played it on the recording, but our other second parts show all the harmony notes so that instrumentalists playing the first part can take the whole melody. Only the trumpet has the melody at the beginning, with the alto joining in the pickup to the fourth measure. After that the horns are mostly voiced in thirds. Lead sheets contain the complete melody.

"The Vibe" was Roy's third album as a leader. It was the last of three Hargrove albums with Antonio Hart; his next album, "Of Kindred Souls," features the same personnel as on "The Vibe" but with Ron Blake on tenor instead of Hart. Other songs on "The Vibe" have guest appearances from trombonist Frank Lacy, tenor saxophonists David "Fathead" Newman and Branford Marsalis, plus organ legend Jack McDuff.