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Chris Rogers

CHRIS ROGERS has performed throughout Europe, Japan, South America and the United States as a featured soloist with many top artists in Jazz and Latin music. At age 19 he began a five-year association with Jazz giant Gerry Mulligan, replacing Tom Harrell as the primary trumpet soloist with the Concert Jazz Band. He's also gigged and/or recorded with luminaries such as Buddy Rich, Maria Schneider, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Frank Sinatra, Chaka Khan, Eddie Palmieri, The Mingus Big Band, Ray Barretto, Mel Torme, Mel Lewis and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Hilton Ruiz, Lionel Hampton, Mercer Ellington, Richie Beirach, Bob Moses, Tom Harrell, Arturo O'Farrill, Eartha Kitt, Lee Konitz, and Mongo Santamaria (as both trumpeter and pianist.)

Chris was born in New York City in the early sixties to a family of musicians. His father – the late trombonist Barry Rogers - was a founding member of the groundbreaking Jazz-Rock band “Dreams” (with the Brecker Brothers & Billy Cobham). Barry Rogers' legendary status in the Latin field is well documented and he's widely acknowledged as being the most influential trombonist in Salsa and Latin Jazz - through his seminal collaborations with Eddie Palmieri spanning three decades. Additionally, the elder Rogers was a "first-call" studio musician who recorded with artists ranging from James Taylor, Elton John, Aerosmith & Todd Rundgren to Spyro Gyra, Idris Muhammad, Chaka Khan & Don Grolnick. This rich and varied musical environment had a profound effect on Chris while growing up, cultivating a love of Jazz, R&B, Pop and Latin music.

At age 9 Chris received his first horn as a gift from family friend Lew Soloff who was just gaining worldwide fame for his iconic trumpet solo on “Spinning Wheel” with another great band - Blood Sweat & Tears. Chris began his formal training at the MSM Prep Division while being exposed to all sorts of music at home. His mom Lou Rogers (a/k/a L.K. Steiner) is a brilliant composer/lyricist; his older cousin Fred Steiner was the majority composer for the original Star Trek TV series; and his maternal grandmother Toni Koves Steiner was among the world's most renowned Hungarian "cimbalom" soloists - recording and working with the likes of Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein and many of the major symphony orchestras.

Chris eventually attended the High School of Music & Art (even appearing in the film “Fame”) where he and saxophonist Bob Franceschini co-led a band with powerhouse classmates like bassist Marcus Miller, drummer Omar Hakim and guitarist Bobby Broom. It was an awesome time to be a young trumpeter in New York City and Chris soon found himself attending many major recording sessions with his father - gaining priceless experience observing the skill and professionalism of top trumpeters like Soloff, Randy Brecker, Alan Rubin, Mike Lawrence, Victor Paz and Jon Faddis. While continuing his ‘legit’ studies with the esteemed Vincent Penzarella of the N.Y. Philharmonic (and also cultivating a deep admiration for Ronald Romm of the Canadian Brass), Chris immersed himself in the music of Miles Davis, Clark Terry, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Chet Baker, Tom Harrell, Woody Shaw and Randy Brecker. These recordings literally provided the curriculum for Chris during an intensive period of self-motivated study and transcribing. Pretty soon he found himself rubbing elbows with the top professionals around town - gigging with the Latin bands of Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Machito, Ray Barretto and Louie Ramirez; rehearsing with George Russell's group and The Mingus Dynasty Band; and even nightclub "sit-ins" with Woody Shaw and the original Brecker Brothers Band. It was during this time that he met and made an impression on the great Tom Harrell. Harrell became a good friend and later recommended Chris to succeed him in the solo chair with Gerry Mulligan’s Band. The ensuing association with Mulligan was not only a chance to work closely with a true Jazz legend - but also led to meeting and performing with Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry and a young Wynton Marsalis. After a brief but invaluable stint as Harrell’s sub with Mel Lewis and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, things eventually came full circle when Chris joined Tom’s own big band and appeared on his Grammy-nominated CD “Time’s Mirror”.

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Album Review

Joel Harrison: America at War

Read "America at War" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


"È tutta la vita che il mio paese conduce tragiche e futili invasioni straniere. Ho sentito che dovevo scrivere su questo fatto, infondere nella mia nuova musica la sua dolorosa eredità." Queste riflessioni aprono il nuovo disco di Joel Harrison, ritornato a sette anni di distanza da Infinite Possibility a guidare un ensemble orchestrale. La storia bellica degli Stati Uniti è piuttosto lunga: in 245 anni ha combattuto 123 conflitti militari vivendo solo 18 anni in completa pace. ...

Album Review

Chris Rogers: Voyage Home

Read "Voyage Home" reviewed by Niccolò Lucarelli


Il jazz non è soltanto un genere musicale: per qualcuno è anche un luogo affettivo, dove ritrovare le proprie radici, vecchie conoscenze, episodi della propria vita, atmosfere familiari. Accade anche per Chris Rogers in Voyage Home, il cui titolo, che può essere tradotto con “rotta verso casa," lascia intendere come l'autore abbia voluto percorrere un viaggio sonoro a ritroso nel jazz così come nella sue personale formazione musicale, riunendo per l'occasione alcuni dei più talentuosi musicisti in circolazione. Due diverse ...

10
Album Review

Chris Rogers: Voyage Home

Read "Voyage Home" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Recorded in February of 2001, Voyage Home is trumpeter Chris Rogers' long-awaited debut album as a performer, composer and band leader. Released fifteen years after its original recording, the music documents performances from incredibly talented artists whom Rogers has known his entire life, including the late saxophonist Michael Brecker as well as a statement lifted from a 1965 album by Eddie Palmieri featuring legendary Latin jazz trombonist Barry Rogers--and father of the leader--who passed away well before this recording. An ...

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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

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

America at War

Sunnyside Records
2021

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Voyage Home

Art of Life Records
2017

buy

Voyage Home

Art of Life Records
2016

buy

Felicidade

Consolidated Artists Productions
2008

buy

The Mask

From: Voyage Home
By Chris Rogers

Videos

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