Roger Smith - "My Colors"

(2010, There Records)
Track Listing:
  1. Miss Wiggle (So What!)
  2. Hopscotch
  3. Can You Stand The Rain
  4. Only We Know
  5. Fallin' Behind
  6. Just Because
  7. Hermosa
  8. I'm Ready
  9. Elly Mae
  10. Illusionary Dreamer
  11. Serenade You
  12. R Y B W And Others
  13. Put Your Faith In Me

Roger Smith’s exuberant spirit and extraordinary talent matched with nimble, funky fingers have established him as the man who many consider to be the master of the jazz keyboard.   Smith couches his reverence for the classics in a mostly progressive setting and “My Colors” is filled with unexpected combinations. Fallin’ Behind pits Smith’s fleet-fingered, spiraling piano work against piercing guitar stingers and a busy funk background and Hopscotch offers deep, grimy distortion bass against a classy, straight up sax melody and piano chordings “My Colors” is a relentlessly energetic, try-to-sit-still extravaganza and illustrates Smith’s emergence as a potential jack of all trades monster performer,which is truly an exciting discovery.


“How appropriate that Roger Smith chose to lead his relentlessly energetic, try-to-sit-still extravaganza My Colors with a slamming cover of George Duke’s Miss Wiggle, because the keyboardist perfectly captures all the jazz/funk blessings of Duke… The first half of his tasty excursion in groove is a house music dance party with jazz chops even bebop purists can appreciate. Michael Paulo adds a graceful touch to a smooth cover of Jam & Lewis Can You Stand the Rain… We’re talking the emergence of a potential jack of all trades monster performer… An exciting discovery. ”

– All Music Guide

“Keyboardist Roger Smith couches his reverence for the classics in a mostly progressive setting on My Colors. Starting with the romp Miss Wiggle (So What!), which threads George Duke and Miles Davis compositions with a whacking percussion section and an undertone of party noise, Smith fills his album with unexpected combinations. While Fallin’ Behind pits Smith’s fleet-fingered, spiraling piano work against piercing guitar stingers and a busy funk background, Hopscotch offers deep, grimy distortion bass against a classy, straight up sax melody and piano chordings… ”

– Jazz Times