This highly anticipated CD by Chris Rogers has finally hit the shelves! I've known Chris since he was 6 years old. His father, the great trombonist Barry Rogers, was a close friend and mentor to me and my brother Mike. I've watched his progress through the years and can categorically state that Chris is AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME on this CD, and it's so great to hear previously unreleased solos of Mike's (and Barry too!). So check this CD out: Just a heart-felt first-rate endeavor that is sure to bring Chris Rogers the critical and fan-based attention he deserves!
~ Randy Brecker
UPDATES:
VOYAGE HOME has reached #38 on the JazzWeek national radio charts! (winter-spring 2017)
VOYAGE HOME has received a terrific review from DOWNBEAT mag - 4.5 stars! (May 2017)
The Voyage CD-release gig at Zinc (Aug 2017) was a great success. Video clips to be posted soon....
VOYAGE HOME has been picked among DOWNBEAT's "Best Albums of 2017" (Jan 2018)
At its heart this music truly IS a Voyage. Surely the songs here represent my debut as a solo performer & composer,
but they also can be viewed as the spiritual & sonic offspring of some of the incredible musicians whom I have personally known my entire life. I am speaking specifically of Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Don Grolnick,
Eddie Palmieri, Tom Harrell, Lew Soloff, Mike Lawrence, James Taylor and my late father Barry Rogers.
These unique artists - plus others like Hal Galper, Chick Corea, Woody Shaw, John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder,
Igor Stravinksy, The Beatles, David Sanborn, Freddie Hubbard, & Miles Davis -make up much of my musical palette.
Finally, In the true jazz tradition ALL solos were tracked live...
1. COUNTER CHANGE (7:47) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
Chris Rogers - trumpet
Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone
Xavier Davis - piano
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
A 24-bar double-chorus blues structure with some changes that run ‘counter’ to the norm,
this composition plays off a mid-bar rhythmic figure on alternating solo choruses.
The chord changes really have a specificdirection that the soloist must follow,
and the results are some harmonically & rhythmically interesting solos!
2. VOYAGE HOME (8:28) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
(dedicated to Don Grolnick)
Chris Rogers - trumpet
Ted Nash - tenor saxophone
Xavier Davis - piano
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
Mark Falchook - synth
I decided to try and ‘channel’ Don Grolnick’s composing style and this song just came out spontaneously
from the piano in one pass. Ted Nash’s brilliantly nuanced tenor playing here shows why he is one of the
greats! To me, this composition represents the early wonder and exploratory stages of life, the struggles &
rewards along he way and the eternal question of "why are we here?" - which never quite resolves until the
final vamp when we get to bask in an eternity (‘home’) of lush dominant 13 sus chords...
that’s where I picture Don’s spirit residing.
3. WHIT’S END (9:05) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
(dedicated to Michael Brecker)
Chris Rogers - trumpet
Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone
Xavier Davis - piano
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
Loosely alluding to the great Whit Sidener - my teacher at University of Miami. This tune is a great
showcasefor the rhythm section. Their interplay behind all the solos, including an especially inspired one
here by Michael Brecker, is remarkable. Brecker displays all the classic elements of his virtuosic style -
soul, technique, lyricism, fearlessness, a profound harmonic and rhythmic sense - and a true exploratory nature.
Mike was one of the most emotionally present and giving people I ever have known,
and he came to my session with one thing in mind to play his heart out!
4. THE MASK (8:36) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
(dedicated to Lew Soloff)
Chris Rogers - trumpet
Ted Nash - tenor saxophone
Xavier Davis - piano
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
Mark Falchook - keyboards
A funky 'straight 8's' tune which reminds me of growing up around the bustling energy of New York City.
You sometimes had to have real street smarts to get by, perhaps putting on a “mask’ as to not reveal
too much.… My playing here reflects some of the early R&B and jazz/rock stylings that I absorbed in
my native New York City from trumpeters Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Mike Lawrence and Tom Browne!
Ted Nash takes this to an incredible level with one of my favorite sax outings ever, and Xavier Davis plays
an incredibly soulful piano solo. Mark Falchook’s "spooky" synth adds a cool vibe to this track!
5. BALLAD FOR B.R. (8:50) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
(dedicated to Barry Rogers)
Chris Rogers – trumpet
Ted Nash – alto saxophone
Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone
Art Baron – trombone
Xavier Davis – piano
Jay Anderson – bass
Steve Johns – drums
Barry Rogers - trombone intro
This 4-horn jazz ballad was specially crafted as a tribute to my late father Barry Rogers.
The opening trombone cadenza is actually Barry's final statement on "Manha de Carnaval"
and was 'lovingly lifted' from Eddie Palmieri's classic 1965 "Mozambique" album.
Dad was always evolving in his quest for personal enlightenment, thus the through-composed nature
of "Ballad for BR" inherently presents a Rogers-like searching quality which continues
even until the final chord -a major triad over a dominant seventh which attempts
to leave us with a feeling that perhaps 'it's not quite over'...
6. REBECCA (4:48) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
(dedicated to Ray Barretto)
Chris Rogers - trumpet & keyboards
Steve Khan - guitar
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
Willie Martinez - congas
The first of a 'suite' of songs with guitarist Steve Khan, we take this Latin-style tune at a
brisk tempoand buzz through the solos before finally transitioning to a 12/8 Afro-Cuban groove.
One of my earliest compositions, it remained untitled for about 10 years until I brought it into a
Ray Barretto & New World Spirit rehearsal. When pressed by Ray for a song title, pianist Hector Martignon
suggested naming it "Rebecca" after my attractive (and available) sister-in-law who had recently attended
one of our gigs! She must have made quite an impression because the whole band agreed!
7. EVER AFTER (7:43) -composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
(dedicated to Mike Lawrence)
Chris Rogers - trumpet & keyboards
Steve Khan - guitar
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
Willie Martinez - congas & percussion
"Ever After" is basically a love song, plain and simple. Composed on trumpeter
Mike Lawrence’s Fender Rhodes when I was 20, it was my very first composition.
(The rubato intro is actually a recreation of the original demo recorded at Mike's house).
Steve Khan’s gorgeous solo and signature "Khanian" style comping during the coda are worth noting!
8. SIX DEGREES (5:06) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
Chris Rogers - trumpet
Steve Khan - guitar
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
This rather unique bebop-influenced composition came together (and quite unexpectedly!)
from a multitude of unrelated sources - thus the idea of "six degrees of separation".
The chord progression is implied on the head, but not played directly until the soloists begin.
Here we are also treated to a great Jay Anderson bass solo!
9. THE 12-YEAR ITCH (8:27) - composed & arranged by CHRIS ROGERS
Chris Rogers - trumpet
Ted Nash - tenor saxophone
Xavier Davis - piano
Jay Anderson - bass
Steve Johns - drums
Mark Falchook - keyboards
This jazz-shuffle tune remained in an "unfinished" state for over a decade.
The precise form, groove, chord progression and keyboard voicings were composed -
but I couldn’t come up with even a single horn line! After about 12 years passed,
I finally felt the "itch" to finish it and then the melody (and song title) came to me!
MICHAEL BRECKER is commonly referred to as "the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane".
His recorded legacy as bandleader, co-leader (with brother Randy) and sideman, as well as his 15 Grammys tell only part of the story. Mike was a gifted human being who has profoundly touched people’s lives all across the globe.
I'm deeply grateful to Mike for his friendship and presence on this album. He is deeply missed but never forgotten.
TED NASH (tenor & alto saxophone)and I became fast friends as the two youngest members of Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band - and have been playing together ever since! With countless recordings as a sideman and several critically acclaimed CD's as a leader & composer, he's one of the preeminent saxophonists in jazz today.
Ted was a charter member of Mel Lewis's Vanguard Orchestra and is currently the lead alto saxophonist with
Wynton Marsalis. Like me, Ted also has a famous trombonist father - the incredible Dick Nash!
STEVE KHAN (guitar) has been one of my favorite musicians ever since his early fusion albums and his days
with the Brecker Brothers Band. His huge recorded output as a leader over the years in both the straight-ahead
and Latin/Jazz realms - surely ranks him among the best guitarists ever!
XAVIER DAVIS (piano) and I first met while gigging and recording with Tom Harrell's Big Band. That's when I knew Xavier would be the perfect pianist for this project. He's a wonderfully lyrical, tasteful and exciting soloist who also knows exactly what to play at all times to support the compositions. This is a quality that contributes deeply to the success of this music!
JAY ANDERSON (bass) is one of the most accomplished acoustic bassists in jazz or anywhere, I first became
a fan when hearing him with Michael Brecker's great band! Jay has played on over 400 albums and has toured
or recorded with all-time greats like Carmen McRae, Toots Thielmans, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Clark Terry,
Phil Woods, Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Maria Schneider and Mel Lewis - just to name a few!
STEVE JOHNS (drums) can often be heard performing with the Randy Brecker/Ada Rovatti Quintet and has
worked extensively with Sonny Fortune, Benny Carter, Billy Taylor, Nat Adderley, Stanley Turrentine & Jimmy Heath.
A few years ago I had the honor of sharing the trumpet solo duties with the great Eddie Henderson on Steve's
"No Saints No Sinners" album (a sextet date with co-leader Peter Brainin which features George Cables,
Conrad Herwig and the aforementioned Jay Anderson.) Steve's fantastically free-spirited drumming behind
Michael Brecker's solo on "Whit's End" knocks me out every time!
ROGER ROSENBERG (baritone saxophone) was a close friend of both Michael Brecker AND Barry Rogers - so he was a natural choice for a guest spot on this record. His credits include Chet Baker, George Russell, Bob Mintzer,
Buddy Rich, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Don Sebesky, Lee Konitz, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones,
Steely Dan and the Michael Brecker Quindectet! He's one of the greatest baritone saxophonists on the planet
and it’s always an honor to work with Roger...
Some thoughts on BARRY ROGERS & MICHAEL BRECKER:
Listening to the Brecker Brothers and my dad as the horn section for the stunning "DREAMS" band -
on tracks like "New York", "Try Me”, "Holli Be Home" and the epic "Dream Suite"; as well hearing Barry Rogers' trombone solos on all those classic Palmieri sides pretty much informed my concepts on how a horn could be played!
Barry and Michael have been such towering sonic and conceptual influences on me - that the music presented here can be considered a direct reflection of their incredible spirits. They were also great friends with a shared musical history - both on the bandstand and in the recording studio. Barry was one of the first to meet and befriend Mike
upon his arrival in New York. As Mike says: “It was inspiring to be around him when his creative juices were flowing.
He was very gifted, very good at helping people to center their talent. And he was like a father to me when I first came to New York. I was 18, fresh on the scene and he sort of took me under his wing and helped me along.”
Michael eventually penned the now classic tribute "Song for Barry" for 1992's "Return of the Brecker Brothers".
Produced by Chris Rogers
Co-produced by Ted Nash
Mixed by Chris Rogers & Bernard Fox
Mastered by Steve Jankowski (Jankland Studios)
Digital Editing by Chris Rogers at (Bluebarron Studios)
Executive Producer: Stephen H. Fields
Executive Producer: Paul G. Kohler
Recorded at Sound on Sound Studios, N.Y. on February 2nd & 4th, 2001
Recording Engineer: Bernard Fox
Additional Mastering by Tom Swift (Swift Kick Productions)
Cover design concept by Chris Rogers
Compact Disc Art Direction and Layout by Paul G. Kohler