Roger Rogers Band

Guitarist Roger Rogers is well known and appreciated as the longtime leader of Seattle's legendary Kinetics. A 30-year veteran of the business, he not only performs but teaches as well. He's also a proficient songwriter. Much of the material on the band's CD, "Some People Got It" was co-written with Diane Caldwell, a Seattle actress and poet. "Roger and I got together about five years ago," Caldwell explains. "He found out that I wrote and we just started putting some things together. We've been doing it ever since." The band is first and foremost a hard rocking unit, but the album takes a few eclectic twists and turns as well. Along with Rogers, the quartet also includes keyboard player Dan Davison, bassist Ed Hess and drummer Russ Kammerer. Kammerer started playing in the 60's with The Locomotive. They signed with MGM records and released an album in 1969. His other credits include touring and recording with Oleta Adams, playing with L.A.'s the Bonedaddies, Buddy Miles, Rich Dangel and several other local bands. Bass player Ed Hess was 16 when he picked up his instrument of choice in his hometown of Detroit. He eventually joined an oldies do-wop group and worked backing musicians like Ray Charles, Chubby Checker and the infamous Chuck Berry. Finally there's Dan Davison who began his musical career at 8, playing trombone in the school band. He switched later to all manner of keyboards. "I think what the band does is fresh and as fun as it's ever been," says Caldwell. "These are good players, good musicians. They have a lot of experience and it shows. They aren't interested in just throwing together a bunch of three chord blues songs. I mean there's a place for that, but I think what they do is much more interesting.Ó

Ready or not here they come! The Roger Rogers Band has released a live-to-DAT CD entitled, "Some People Got It". They just had a smoking good release party at Brothers Bistro. This performance was recorded live at Ironwood Studios by Jay Follette who has worked on some other good blues projects, like Tim Sherman's latest CD, some previous blues related works by Duffy Bishop and The Blues. This recording is very alive and the magic of live performance is intact. This tape is very diverse, eclectic if you will. Good bluesy cuts include "Remote Ain't Workin' ", "The End", a (Perkins/Cash) number "All Momma's Children", "Lonesome Whistle Blues", "It Ain't Right", (Yes that Walter Jacobs tune), and "Safe Sex Blues". Blues in the 90's? You bet! Roger Rogers is: Dan Davison on keyboards and back-up vocals, Ed Hess on bass and back-up vocals, and of course Roger Rogers on lead guitar and vocals. Some people will get it! Look for the CD on Real Records RRD OO1.

ROGER ROGERS BAND Some People Got It (Roger RogerOOI) $11.50 Guitar driven blues/rock, some r&b, and just a tingle of jazz combine for a dynamic first effort by this band from the Seattle area. Guitar, bass, keys, drums and some horns. This CD has a hard to explain contagious beat and we find ourselves pulling it out over and over again. Roger Rogers is a guitar player we think you'll hear more of. Remote Ain't Workin, Can't Stand It, Some People Got It, Safe Sex Blues, Lonesome Whistle Blues, Problems, Its My Life, +4 more.

Tomorrow night it's the Roger Rogers Band led by lead guitarist and vocalist Roger Rogers himself. The band is one of the most sophisticated

Rogers has a smoked ham quality to his singing, a little greasy with a nice chewy crust. units working the Seattle blues circuit. Rogers, who writes about half the band's original material, doesn't depend on the standard 12-bar blues construction exclusively. There are times when the band's music, it's chord voicings and arrangement have as much to do with a Steely Dan chart as anything by Howling Wolf or BB King. Rogers has a smoked ham quality to his singing, a little greasy with a nice chewy crust. He also has a sense of humor. You only have to hear his version of "Safe Sex Blues" to know this is music for the 1990s.

ROGER ROGERS BAND: SOME PEOPLE GOT IT CD #001 Real Records 2464 Alki S.W. #2 Seattle, WA 98116 Well known from his days as the leader of the Seattle rock band the Kinetics comes Rogers' newest project. This band plays a mix of rock and blues on their debut CD. With a nice mix of originals (the Rock) and covers (the Blues), there is plenty to give you a taste of what this band is about. What makes this project even more interesting is that they had the courage to record it live in the studio without a bunch of fancy over dubs and such. In addition, they are playing music that conveys their energy and musical abilities. The production quality is pretty good and the final mix works just fine. Rogers sings well and shows off a nice range of guitar skills. Keyboard player Dan Davison supplies some very meaty fills and did a great job with the horn arrangements. The rhythm section (Ed Hess on bass and Russ Kammerer on drums) is pocket tight on most every song, and lets the natural groove of the music come through. Best cuts include "The End" and "All Momma's Children." Rogers is really a rocker at heart, but shows that he can do the blues as well. (Steve Sarkowsky)

Roger Rogers Ôbar bandÕ offers good rocking blues

ÒGood bar bandÓ is sometimes used as a record label euphemism for ÒwouldnÕt make us millions of dollars,Ó but unless youÕre trying to find the next Pearl Jam it should get your attention. Being able to go out night after night and consistently rev up crowds of strangers is no small feat and requires more than journeyman skills. The ÒgbbÓ term implies being very solid in the musical basics and having a serious level of professionalism. The Roger Rogers Band, which will perform Saturday at the Swiss, is a good bar band. ÒThatÕs what we do,Ó Rogers said Wednesday during a road stop in Roslyn. ÔThatÕs what we do. We play a lot of bars.Ó ÒGood bar bandÓ also implies little or no pretentiousness. ÒExactly,Ó Rogers said. ÒWeÕre not pretentious at all, or we try not to be. ItÕs a little tough sometimes. ItÕs a tough world to try and be in the music business, to keep your sanity, to keep grounded, to keep on the earthy side of things.Ó Tough it may be, but the groupÕs second album, ÒGood Times,Ó offers superb rocking blues unspoiled by flash and fakery. Rogers sets the tone with straightforward guitar work and vocals on fine original tunes such as ÒNobodyÕs Fool,Ó ÒClownÓ and ÒChoo Choo (YouÕve Gone Insane).Ó ÒI just try not to overplay,Ó he said. ÒFor me, itÕs kind of keep it simple and not try to throw in a million unnecessary notes. Making sure things donÕt get in the way of each other is a key to what weÕre trying to do.Ó Though the size of RogersÕband varies, it plays like a seasoned unit. ÒWe go out and play as anywhere from a trio all the way to a six-piece,Ó he said. ÒAt the Swiss, weÕre going to be a six-piece with a two-piece horn section and a keyboard player, who IÕve played with off and on for 25 years.Ó That is Dan Davison. Drummer Jeff Kathan and bassist Ed Hess complete the core of the band. ÒAnd Sue Orfield is going to be on tenor sax,Ó Rogers said. ÒSheÕs a great sax player. Dave Mariot is on trombone.Ó One of the hallmarks of a good bar band is that the members communicate musically and feed off each otherÕs playing. ThatÕs what produces the energy and freshness that make an audience respond. ÒThatÕs what we always strive for,Ó Rogers said, Òand a lot of times we get there - that total focus where everybody is tuned in. From there, we can go anywhere. We do a lot of improvising, and when itÕs clicking like that and everybodyÕs focused, thereÕs no greater high. ÒI think itÕs the same for everybody In the band and any musician, actually. When you have that interplay, it just goes and has a life of its own. I donÕt know how else to describe it.Ó Neither does anybody else. And Rogers did just as well answering a question bordered by many intangibles: Why play good bar band music instead of grabbing for gold with a more commercial style? ÒBonnie Raitt stuck to her guns and did what she wanted, and thatÕs where weÕre at, or where IÕm at - doing what I want, but at the same time trying to keep pushing that product out there. Trying to build something off of what we do instead of trying to please everybody. ÒI just want to be able to do what I do ... if that makes any sense.Ó It not only makes sense, it makes those of us whoÕd rather hear a good band in a bar than a good band in an arena very happy that Rogers and other dedicated musicians like him feel that way.

. . Also in the recording groove is the Roger Rogers Band. They will travel to North Seattle and set up in yet another fine studio, IRONWOOD. They're in the studio to record and release an upcoming CD. The band is a collection of veteran players that provide a raw, rockin' danceable blues and gets its' namesake from bandleader, singer and guitarist Roger Rogers. His team is made up of Dan Davison, keyboardist and composer/arranger, veteran Russ Kammerer on drums, and Ed Hess on Bass. They will headline at Gregory's in Ballard November 12th & 13th, so check them out!