Photo: Jillian Ciemitis
I probably say this too often, but here goes … this record is just too much fun! Saxophonist Troy Roberts knows how to lay down the funk and on Nu-Jive, the funk is relentless. From the David S. Ware-meets-Steely Dan opening salvo of “Chiver-town,” to the slippery “Shavon” (where electric bassist Eric England and keyboardist Silvano Monasterios really shine), the music carries along a certain playfulness and wit that makes your ear wonder just what surprise lurk after the next chorus. Things really heat up mid-recording on “Oscar and the Shoe Box.” With percussion added by Sammy Figueroa (congas, shaker) and Jose Gregorio-Hernandex (cajon, maracas), the rhythm section (let’s not forget drummer David Chiverton) displays its wide-ranging talents, from delicate slow-burn to the incendiary shadowing of Roberts’ passionate solo.
There are parts of Nu-Jive that can remind the ear of both Weather Report and the M-Base Collective. This is especially true of the closing “Mademfalselle,” which manages to be simultaneously romantic, atmospheric, and funky. As I said, just too much fun.
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