Artist:     Troy Roberts

Album:     Tales and Tones

Label:     Inner Circle Music

Release Date:     01/05/2017

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All nine of these lengthy excursions into the vibrant heart of contemporary jazz clearly evidence the optimistic zing of creativity the new players are riffing madly on.

Taut and free spirited, Troy Roberts’ saxophone flies high with smooth, full tone that announces his arrival. And arrive he should, for already he has performed onstage or recorded with Christian McBride, Wayne Shorter, Kurt Elling, Aretha Franklin, Sheila E., Roy Hargrove, Marcus Miller. Esperanza Spaulding and is a regular member in several of drummer Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts’ musical configurations. Watts joins Roberts on this rock solid acoustic quartet adventure, as does pianist Silvano Monasterios and bassist Robert Hurst.

Though I would have expected to hear some new spin or drive to “Take The A Train,” the remaining eight tracks, including such dynamic Roberts originals as boppy “Decoration,” the grooving “Boozy Bluesy” and “Mr. Pinononnk” more than free your spirit, they free your mind.

—Mike Jurkovic