Home » Jazz Musicians » Troy Roberts
Troy Roberts
Embracing his love for a vast variety of stylistic genres, two-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist, Troy Roberts is quickly becoming one of the most widely recorded touring artists of his time. As a go-to first call saxophonist, his name adorns several essential recordings ranging from the legendary Joey DeFrancesco to the iconic Van Morrison to the quintessential Jeff "Tain" Watts, to the tireless Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band, to the critically acclaimed Kurt Elling, to the breathtaking Veronica Swift, including numerous other jazz veterans, and newcomers considered tastemakers of their generation.
Roberts, an Australian-born, now long-time New York resident, is also a prolific leader with fifteen releases to his name. Currently celebrating his latest, NU-JIVE: LIVE at the Perth International Jazz Festival (Toy Robot Music), Roberts maintains a busy recording and performance schedule with some of the greatest artists of today.
Awards
- Grammy Nominations for performances on Sammy Figueroa’s The Magician, Joey DeFrancesco’s Project Freedom.
- Performances on Grammy Nominated albums by Orrin Evans & The Captain Black Big Band: Presence (which includes an original composition by Roberts) and The Intangible Between, The Terraza Big Band (One Day Wonder – title track is an original composition by Roberts) and Joey DeFrancesco (In The Key of The Universe – with Pharoah Sanders, Billy Hart, and heavily features Roberts on saxophones and acoustic bass).
- Winner of the 2001 James Morrison Jazz Scholarship, Semifinalist in 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition, 2nd place winner in 2016 Wangaratta International Saxophone Competition.
- Exclusive artist endorsement by Vandoren.
Tags
Troy Roberts: Green Lights
by Jack Bowers
There is an abundance of listenable music on Green Lights, the album from New York-based tenor saxophonist Troy Roberts--his sixteenth as leader in sixteen years. Clearly, he must be doing something right. That “something" includes playing graceful and eloquent tenor, mustering admirable sidemen for this quartet date, and focusing on largely agreeable music (Roberts wrote all of the album's ten generally likable songs). The sidemen in question are guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Jimmy ...
read moreVeronica Swift: Veronica Swift
by Mike Jurkovic
Leave it to the irascibly spirited and octane-charged Veronica Swift to release the party record of the year! From the pure joy scatting of the blast-off opener “I Am What I Am" (from Broadway's grand musical La Cage aux Folles) to the rabble rousing, mad-cap Joan Jett jam with The Ramones finale “Don't Rain On My Parade" (only available on the CD and digital versions), the incredibly talented and free-swinging Swift swings for the fences and wins the home-run derby ...
read moreVeronica Swift: Veronica Swift
by Katchie Cartwright
Veronica Swift is a masterful jazz singer. Her craft is immaculate. She scats like nobody's business and her texted improvisations are inventive. What's more, she always seems to sing straight from the heart. All that might be enough for some people, not Swift. She is an artistic adventurer who wonders aloud on social media: “What would it sound like if you put together Ella Fitzgerald and--I don't know--Jimi Hendrix?" An answer is the third track on her self-titled ...
read moreMichael Davis - Hip-Bone Big Band: Open City
by Jerome Wilson
Michael Davis is an accomplished trombonist who has had a long career of live and studio work accompanying a varied roster of big-name jazz and rock talents such as The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bob Mintzer, Buddy Rich, Paul Simon, and Sarah Vaughan. He is also an established solo artist and composer who leads an imposing large ensemble, the Hip-Bone Big Band. The big band's second album is an exuberant affair which reflects the joy of getting back ...
read moreJohn Daversa: All Without Words: Variations Inspired by Loren
by Angelo Leonardi
Quest'ambizioso concerto per tromba e orchestra composto e orchestrato da Justin Morell per il trombettista John Daversa rinnova il fascino delle pagine che Gil Evans scrisse per Miles Davis negli anni cinquanta. Nessuno dei due ha voluto ricreare quei lavori e si tratta di sfumature, dovute al clima impressionista, al lirismo della tromba sordinata e agli arrangiamenti maestosi. Quasi sconosciuti in Italia Morell e Daversa sono artisti di prim'ordine ed hanno prodotto un concept album splendido, ottenendo ...
read moreLeon Foster Thomas: Calasanitus
by Chris May
Born in Trinidad and in 2023 based in London, steel-pan virtuoso Leon Foster Thomas surprised and delighted many in the jazz world with Metamorphosis (Ropeadope, 2016). It was his third album but the first to receive widespread distribution in the US and Europe. The disc proved the steel pan to be serious and sophisticated, sitting comfortably in a lineup of otherwise standard instrumentation, and an instrument that in the right hands can be as expressive as the vibraphone, its nearest ...
read moreTito Carrillo: Urbanessence
by Paul Rauch
Trumpeter Tito Carillo's second bite of the apple on Origin was more than a decade in the making, following up his outstanding first release, Opening Statement (Origin, 2011). With Urbanessence (Origin, 2022), the Chicago-based artist is truly up to the task, producing a work which is an homage to everyday life in the city. The narrative makes the point that cities are home to creators, visionaries and an army of people who are motivated by the hope they provide. Cities ...
read moreKCC Productions Presents Troy Roberts' "Nu-Jive"
Source:
Kimberly C Chmura
Hailing from the remote location of Perth, West Australia, saxophonist and composer Troy Roberts has won four consecutive Downbeat Jazz Soloist Awards, two consecutive West Australian Music Industry Awards, was the only Australian finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, received his first Grammy Nomination Medal, and has shared the stage with greats such as Sammy Figueroa, James Morrison, Stephen Scott, Slide Hampton, Bobby Sparks, Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton, to name a few. More recently, Troy represented ...
read more
KCC Productions Presents Troy Roberts' Nu-Jive At Zinc Bar September 12, 2012, at 9PM
Source:
Kimberly C Chmura
Hailing from the remote location of Perth, West Australia, saxophonist and composer Troy Roberts has won four consecutive Downbeat Jazz Soloist Awards, two consecutive West Australian Music Industry Awards, was the only Australian finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, received his first Grammy Nomination Medal, and has shared the stage with greats such as Sammy Figueroa, James Morrison, Stephen Scott, Slide Hampton, Bobby Sparks, Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton, to name a few.. More recently, Troy represented ...
read more
Troy Roberts continues to be a master of styles and configurations with this eminently accessible, sonically and rhythmically engaging session, emitting steam and sumptuous harmonic colors along the way. -Glide Magazine
‘Nu-Jive: Nations United’ is another outstanding project by the ever-creative composer and saxophonist Troy Roberts. The bandmates’ long-time chemistry undoubtedly accounts for the stability and respect this ensemble creates together. The ten songs offer various configurations for optimum expression for each member as they ebb and flow through the written and improvised sections of the compositions. The result is a jazz session filled with 3D proportions of interacting and layering to create something unique and meaningful that encompasses the jazz of today and beyond. -Steven Miller, Sound In Review
Photos
Music
I Am An Immigrant
From: CalasanitusBy Troy Roberts
Momentum
From: UrbanessenceBy Troy Roberts
Videos
Troy Roberts
Location: New York City
Instrument: Saxophone
Publicist: Kari-On Productions
