Green Lights is saxophonist Troy Roberts’ sixteenth album as a leader but the first with this esteemed quartet of acoustic bassist John Patitucci, guitarist Paul Bollenback, and drummer Jimmy Macbride, who had never played together as a unit until now. Macbride, though, has long been Roberts’ beatkeeper. This is the fourth one we’ve covered for Roberts as a leader on these pages, as well as his two efforts aside from the late Joey DeFrancesco backing Van Morrison. Unlike Roberts’ past efforts with his fusion-oriented group Nu-Jive, this is mostly acoustic, straight-ahead, yet plenty aggressive with touches of electronics along the way. After following Roberts closely over the past five-six years, this is as free and expressive as he’s ever been, almost like a singer spinning a series of narratives, ten of them both old and new that are all his own, all rendered on his tenor. It’s a contemporary sound but there are certainly links to tradition, as this writer detects the strains of Dexter Gordon in Roberts’ delivery, a kind of smoky depth that wasn’t necessarily apparent in some of his previous outings.
Each musician gets a chance to express themselves in the opening title track, Bollenback for example comps steadily behind Roberts but steps forward emphatically upon his turn. Patitucci delivers his typical, highly lyrical pizzicato solo, and Roberts spins his warm lines, leading the convivial conversation while Macbride keeps the pulse. “The Question” begins as a soft ballad but soon takes a labyrinthian course through shifting time signatures and variations on the melody, yet it avoids jagged edges, remaining cohesive throughout. Bollenback’s rather bluesy solo is especially noteworthy. While we may have been teased with a balladic intro on “The Question,” the tender waltz “By Your Side” stays warm and gentle throughout, with Roberts blowing a series of liquid clusters and Bollenback and Patitucci engaging in an intimate exchange.
Liftoff occurs on “Solar Panels,” an up-tempo, animated swinger powered by Macbride’s kinetic kit work with Roberts darting in and out, surfing gleefully on top. Bollenback and Patitucci keep pace with brisk turns, the quartet reaching a definitive close over wah-wah and synth-like guitar and bass effects. Those effects become ethereal through Patitucci’s arco bass and Bollenback’s synth-like lines forming a bed for Roberts in the modal “Harry Brown,” a lengthy, highly improvised track with Roberts in fierce attack mode. The unison sequences between Roberts and Bollenback are striking, the latter venturing into wild, dissonant territory on his own excursion. Yet, when the quartet reconvenes, they lock into a bluesy shuffle to take it out.
Bollenback summons a variety of guitar tones throughout this effort and combines with the bassist to create a funky NOLA vibe on “Jive Dumpling,” with Macbride’s insistent beats fueling this burner, the essence of ‘in the pocket’ drumming. “Up to No Good” has the ensemble deftly navigating intricate rhythms, while standout “The Scotsman’s Ballad” has Roberts playing warmly with gorgeous tone and melodic flair. “Stretch Armstrong” is the most straight-ahead track here, mixing bebop and post-bop with Bollenback the first to blaze away, with Roberts and Macbride trading eights. Patitucci’s sturdy walking bassline underpins the freely expressive Roberts, with Macbride featured more prominently here than on any others, forcefully putting a cap on the project with an explosive finale.
Green Lights strikes an equal balance between contemporary and traditional, improvisation and composition. It touches on several forms but is consistently rendered with feeling and utmost skill, as each individual voice comes through clearly. Put this at the very top of Roberts’ growing catalog.
