Troy Roberts Nu-Jive

"A force to be reckoned with no matter the setting” (JazzTimes), Troy Roberts is a powerhouse saxophonist shaping modern jazz — a three-time GRAMMY nominee known widely for his work with Orrin Evans, Veronica Swift, and Kurt Elling, among many others. He’s released five albums as a leader including his latest, 2024’s Green Lights, and his ongoing quintet project Nu-Jive fuses groove, virtuosity, and bold improvisation into a fresh, high-energy sound. 

A transplant from Perth, Australia, Roberts emigrated to the U.S. for studies at the University of Miami and established himself in the New York scene, working with organist Joey DeFrancesco, drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, and pianist Orrin Evans’s Captain Black Big Band. He was a semi-finalist in the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition and was the recipient of three consecutive DownBeat Jazz Soloist Awards, and has contributed to recordings by Van Morrison, Sammy Figuroa, and Dave Grusin, among others.                       

Influenced by the electro-acoustic fusion tradition, Roberts’s Nu-Jive quintet is possessed of telepathic interplay and superlative musicianship, best experienced as a living, breathing groove machine on stage. To that end, their newest album, 2023’s Nu-Jive: Live at the Perth International Jazz Festival is a fiery homecoming performance for Roberts showcasing the sparkling lineup of guitarist Tim Jago, keyboardist Silvano Monasterios, bassist Eric England, and drummer David Chiverton.