Nu-Jive: Nations United
Toy Robot, 2022
9/10
Listen to Nu-Jive: Nations United
The two-time Grammy nominee Troy Roberts brings his inimitable saxophone playing to these 10 new tunes, where Nu-Jive, i.e. Tim Jago (guitar), Silvano Monasterios (keys), Eric England (bass) and David Chiverton (drums) accompany him.
“Funkafarian” gets the listen off to a groove filled start, where playful bass and warm brass are especially charming, and “Tribes & Tribulations” continues the gracefulness with spirited guitar lines and precise drumming complementing the breezy melodies.
“Big Night In” lands in the middle and will certainly get you on the dance floor with its swift and contagious energy, while “Sobrino” trims the pace back with a soulful and hazy album highlight that moves slowly amid much beauty.
Near to the end, “Hypnagogia” showcases the meticulous brass acrobatics of Roberts alongside firm drumming, and the 10+ minutes of “Dreamstation” exits the listen with a lively beat, guitar and sax solos, and a whole lot of dreaminess close to the finish.
A fusion outing of extraordinary skill, expect funk, jazz, R&B, soul and plenty of culture here, as Roberts and company make every moment of their 4th album together exciting and memorable.
Travels well with: Marcus Strickland Twi-Life- People Of The Sun; Troy Roberts & Tim Jago- Best Buddies