Days Like These
Toy Robot, 2019
8/10
Troy Roberts has been bandleader on 11 albums now, and with Days Like These the jazz sensation is accompanied by Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts on drums, who has already played on 2 albums of Roberts’ already.
“My Girl Is Just Enough Woman For Me’ starts the listen with snappy, playful jazz sounds where saxophones and robust organs from Joey DeFrancesco highlight the setting, and “Why Was i Born” follows with cautious sax and light percussion in a very introspective delivery.
Elsewhere, “The Waltz Of Parting Days” balances restraint and frisky sounds in a soothing display, while “Sly Old Dog” unleashes a busy, dizzying fury of sophisticated interplay at a quick tempo.
Near the end, “Little Man You’ve Had A Busy Day” winds the listen down with organs fills from Emmet Cohen and plenty of adventurous percussion, and “Wizard Of Ozroop” exits the listen with an upbeat romping of timeless and melodic jazz fun.
Roberts is a tenor saxophone wizard here, and his skilled band help make Days Like These an ambitious, balanced and extremely fun listen that, amazingly, was recorded in just one day- further proof of the talent present.
Travels well with: Larry Wolf With Four Cats & A Canary- Mood Swings;Mad Love- ISH