Bob Haggart's "What's New" closes Roy Hargrove's 1990 debut album Public Eye with a gorgeous ballad performance that highlights the expressive range of the young ensemble. The AABA standard in C major unfolds at a gentle tempo, and three musicians share the solo space in succession. Hargrove opens with a half-chorus of trumpet, his warm, singing tone and lyrical phrasing capturing the wistful quality of the melody. His restraint here is notable, each note carefully chosen and expressively shaped. Antonio Hart follows with a half-chorus of alto saxophone, his contribution adding a brighter tonal color while maintaining the performance's delicate beauty. Stephen Scott completes the solo round with a half-chorus of piano, his refined touch and harmonic sensitivity providing an elegant conclusion. The decision to share the solo space equally among three musicians, with each taking just half a chorus, gives the performance a chamber-music quality, emphasizing collective expression over individual display. As the album's closing track, "What's New" serves as a quiet, reflective counterbalance to the fiery uptempo performances that dominate the program. Billy Higgins's brushwork throughout is a masterclass in taste and sensitivity, while Christian McBride's bass provides a warm harmonic foundation. The track leaves the listener with a final impression of a band that could whisper as convincingly as it could shout.
