Troy Roberts has been on my radar for quite some time now. One of my best friends went to grad school at University of Miami Frost School, where Troy was teaching and playing at the time. He took me to see Troy’s band, Nu-Jive 5 one night and it was jaw-droppingly good. I had never really heard Troy play before and, needless to say, I became a huge fan that night.
I have been following Troy’s career ever since and was very excited to learn that he has recently released a brand new album titled, “Secret Rhymes.”
Troy Roberts has since moved to New York and started making a name for himself in perhaps the greatest jazz scene in the world. It’s not hard to imagine a player with such facility, imagination, and skill to make his mark in New York and this album reflects the next step in Troy’s journey to becoming a household name in the saxophone world.
This release features legendary drummer, Jeff “Tain” Watts, pianist, Silvano Monasterios, and bassist, Chris Smith. This band is perfect for Roberts’ powerful saxophone sound and they compliment him perfectly.
Featuring a majority of Troy’s original tunes peppered in with a few select standards, this record is entirely easy to listen to in one sitting and has been on repeat for me over the past couple of weeks. If you haven’t heard Troy Roberts’ playing yet do yourself a favor and grab this music today. If you are already a fan of Troy, this record offers a departure from the Nu-Jive 5 sound and a pleasant one at that.
Highly recommended!
Get “Secret Rhymes” Here: