We don't talk enough about Adam Rogers

[Average Joe]

He seem to fly a bit under the radar when the topic of fine jazz players come up. Why is that? Sure, when he does come up in conversation, everybody will acknoledge that he's great, but he's rarely mentioned unprompted.

He's a stellar player whether playing in a straight jazz setting or more fusion/funky as for instance Chris Potter's Underground.

 

[ivers]

He seem to fly a bit under the radar when the topic of fine jazz players come up. Why is that?

I don't have a good excuse as to why. Fantastic player.

 

[mfranzdorf]

Has this been enough talk?
How will we know?

 

[PierreL]

Love him. I prefer him in groovier settings though. He’s been a bit quiet lately unfortunately.

 

[tribalfusion]

He seem to fly a bit under the radar when the topic of fine jazz players come up. Why is that? Sure, when he does come up in conversation, everybody will acknoledge that he's great, but he's rarely mentioned unprompted.

He's a stellar player whether playing in a straight jazz setting or more fusion/funky as for instance Chris Potter's Underground.

TGP is less and less oriented around certain kinds of music. I used to try and write about different players a lot here but it was always the same very small group of interested posters.

I'll be seeing Adam this weekend with Jon Herington and Steely Dan which should be a lot of fun.

I first caught Adam with Lost Tribe about 30 years ago and subsequently have seen him in a wide variety of settings.

He's a great player who is serious about his art.

 

[amstrtatnut]

Never heard of him.

Ill add Drew Zingg to the conversation too.

 

[PierreL]

Loved him in Forq with Michael League from Snarky Puppy.

 

[Tommy the Kat]

Is he still with the Packers?

 

[jogogonne]

Uhh. I've known about him for decades and one of my very first teachers tried to turn me on to him. Actually knew him personally.

He's more of a player's player. That's why I would say.

Like Coltrane is more of a player's player. McCoy Tyner.

As oppose to I would say... Cannonball Adderly and Ahmad Jamal.

I like it simple, and sugary, lol.

I've seen Wayne Krantz tossed around too. More of a player's player. Very much artistically motivated. As opposed to just copying and re-playing.

 

[Crimson Queen]

Loved Lost Tribe!

 

[david(j)]

Loved him in Forq with Michael League from Snarky Puppy.

Marked for later. Thanks.

 

[bugzapper]

His DICE album is great.

 

[Average Joe]

Since this thread is alive again, I thought I’d share another setting I like him in

 

[brocktoon]

He's pretty dang famous in my crowd but then again we're all jazz nerds...
Watching him from 6 feet away at 55 bar was unforgettable.
Agreed about DICE. It's one of my favorite records.

 

[Dajbro]

He did an online masterclass at the beginning of the covid shutdown that I took some notes on:



Practice/warm up is for articulation & sound production

WARM UP

1) First thing he does every day: Segovia scales as written in the book. Uses alternate picking. Does it to connect with the instrument. Likes that it emphasizes efficient shifting. Pays close attention to note duration. Technical control is so you can express the music the way you hear it.

2) Arpeggios - 2 octaves. Plays each arpeggio 2x and plays them through the cycle of 5ths. Maj 7 (CEGB), Min 7 (CEbGBb) and MinMaj7 (CEbGB)

3) Select Bach Sonatas and/or Partitas. He played the Bm Sonata in this case. Varies each day. He has many memorized.

These are tools to address sound production and rhythmic articulation.

PLAYING OVER CHANGES

Like to practice rhythm changes and turnarounds. I-VI7-ii-V and iii-VI7-ii-V7 are very important sounds.

Practices playing continual 8th notes over the above changes that clearly outlines the sound without chordal accompaniment. Scale and arpeggios primarily.

SWEEP PICKING

Uses it to try to emulate saxophone phrasing.

Mute the strings with left hand and sweep pick strings 6-5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5-6. Use a metronome for rhythmic accuracy and articulate each 'note.'

Arpeggio exercise for sweep picking (in G, string 6-5-4-3-2-1) play G D A B E B.

Take above pattern through diatonic chords in G (G Am Bm C D Em Fdim)

Try to make sweep picking groove the way alternate picking does.

Another arpeggio exercise (all chords Major 7; ascend first chord, descend second, etc): A F Ab E A Gb F Db

TRANSCRIBING

Main benefit is you are spending time in a masters world.

Secondary benefit is ear training. Improvisers must be able to identify what they hear and play it.

Learn notes and phrasing. Phrasing is most important. Get as close to the phrasing as you possibly can.

Don't take licks to regurgitate in your own solos.

Don't memorize the language.

Do analyze what the melodic line is doing over the changes. Don't complicate it though.

TECHNIQUE

Right hand floats. Does not rest on bridge. If he needs to mute strings (from ringing out) it's primarily the left hand that does it unless it's a specifically muted guitar part.

RHYTHM

Mentioned a Herbie track. Thinks it was Stella By Starlight on the My Funny Valentine album. Over a G7alt Herbie plays a triplet run up the G altered scale and descends with an Eb triad triplet run in groups of 4. (he demonstrated by playing the line)

How to practice: Play scales and arpeggios in groupings of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 etc. Do that in 8th notes and triplets. Be able to place the accent wherever you want.

Play along with records to develop time/groove. He would learn/play along with James Brown records.

Listen to the Basie band circa '57-'58.

OUTSIDE PLAYING

No formula

Tends to think either in key or polytonal. They exist in tandem, not either/or.

In key (Dm for his examples) would be thinking of something as Dm6/9#11. You can chromatically alter anything but it's always related to the key. You can think of them as passing tones or embellishments. Keep the 3rd and 7th for the chord quality and embellish everything else. Thinks of it as amending the sound of D or playing D "things."

Polytonal/Polychords: He would think of that same Dm6/9#11 as an E triad over Dm. He first became aware of the concept listening to Trane's Africa on the Africa/Brass album. You can also harmonize the outside note(s). The G#/Ab that is outside could be the 3rd of E, the b3 of Fm, the 7th of A, the b7 of Bb, the 5th of Db, etc. Play those respective triads over the Dm.

Outside playing requires ears. You have to hear it.

GEAR

Twin Reverb settings: Vol 2.5-3, treble off, mid 4, bass 4, a little reverb. Guitar tone on 10. (he was using his 335 with this amp)

D'Andrea picks

Distortion is rarely pedals. He likes power amp saturation and vintage amps. Uses attenuation. SPL Reducer is by far his favorite.

With Dice (Hendrix inspired) he uses a 1971 Marshall on 6 attenuated down.

Main strats are a 1965 and 1974. Stock pickups.

Almost always keeps pickups stock. 1 tele has Jim Rolph pickups.

Uses custom string gagues:

335: 13 16 18 28 38 49 (11s on bottom 4, thicker top 2)

Strat & Tele: 12 14 18 28 38 52

FAVORITE RECORDS (I wrote down as many as I could but didn't get everything)

Hendrix - Band of Gypsys (and another I missed)

Trane - A Love Supreme, Crescent, Plays The Blues, Giant Steps (probably missed a couple)

Miles - Milestones, Round Midnight, Relaxin, Steamin, ESP, Nefertiti (mentioned a bunch of others that I couldn't get)

Bird - Savoy Sessions

Weather Report - Heavy Weather, Mr Gone

George Benson - Cookbook (1 other I missed)

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book, Secret Life of Plants

P-Funk - Mothership Connection

Zep - II, House of the Holy

Muddy Waters - Folk Singer

Bill Frisell - Where In The World

Pat Metheny - Rejoicing

Sco - said he loved and listened to a bunch but didn't mention anything specific

Steve Coleman - Rhythm People, Black Science

PE - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back

Wes - California Dreaming, Incredible Jazz Guitar, Smokin at the Half Note

A bunch of Earth, Wind & Fire

RANDOM

Music is about sound and rhythm. If you have that you can play anything.

Thinks of music as 4 parts: sound - rhythm - melody - harmony. Those 4 parts go from easy to complex concepts to 'get.' They go from hard to easy concepts to learn/teach.

Big fan of Hendrix's hybrid rhythm/lead style of chording.

Look at music from as many vantages that you can think of.

Different approaches can still lead to the same result.

Have a multi-faceted approach.

No one approach is "correct."

Melodic passages can exist just because they're so strong, regardless of how they relate to the underlying changes.

Read through the Charlie Parker Omnibook a lot in high school which is how he feels he developed his chromatic/embellishment style when playing changes.

Loves Red Garland and Wynton Kelly.

Works on theoretical approaches when practicing. Trys not to think about it when playing. It becomes second nature. His study has informed his ear.

Your ears and your fingers should always have a conversation - Peter Bernstein (sometimes ears lead, sometimes fingers lead)

Composing = no rules.

Plays ideas into phone's voice memo to capture ideas.

 

[Rob G]

I mention him quite often.

 

[PierreL]

He did an online masterclass at the beginning of the covid shutdown that I took some notes on:



Practice/warm up is for articulation & sound production

WARM UP

1) First thing he does every day: Segovia scales as written in the book. Uses alternate picking. Does it to connect with the instrument. Likes that it emphasizes efficient shifting. Pays close attention to note duration. Technical control is so you can express the music the way you hear it.

2) Arpeggios - 2 octaves. Plays each arpeggio 2x and plays them through the cycle of 5ths. Maj 7 (CEGB), Min 7 (CEbGBb) and MinMaj7 (CEbGB)

3) Select Bach Sonatas and/or Partitas. He played the Bm Sonata in this case. Varies each day. He has many memorized.

These are tools to address sound production and rhythmic articulation.

PLAYING OVER CHANGES

Like to practice rhythm changes and turnarounds. I-VI7-ii-V and iii-VI7-ii-V7 are very important sounds.

Practices playing continual 8th notes over the above changes that clearly outlines the sound without chordal accompaniment. Scale and arpeggios primarily.

SWEEP PICKING

Uses it to try to emulate saxophone phrasing.

Mute the strings with left hand and sweep pick strings 6-5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5-6. Use a metronome for rhythmic accuracy and articulate each 'note.'

Arpeggio exercise for sweep picking (in G, string 6-5-4-3-2-1) play G D A B E B.

Take above pattern through diatonic chords in G (G Am Bm C D Em Fdim)

Try to make sweep picking groove the way alternate picking does.

Another arpeggio exercise (all chords Major 7; ascend first chord, descend second, etc): A F Ab E A Gb F Db

TRANSCRIBING

Main benefit is you are spending time in a masters world.

Secondary benefit is ear training. Improvisers must be able to identify what they hear and play it.

Learn notes and phrasing. Phrasing is most important. Get as close to the phrasing as you possibly can.

Don't take licks to regurgitate in your own solos.

Don't memorize the language.

Do analyze what the melodic line is doing over the changes. Don't complicate it though.

TECHNIQUE

Right hand floats. Does not rest on bridge. If he needs to mute strings (from ringing out) it's primarily the left hand that does it unless it's a specifically muted guitar part.

RHYTHM

Mentioned a Herbie track. Thinks it was Stella By Starlight on the My Funny Valentine album. Over a G7alt Herbie plays a triplet run up the G altered scale and descends with an Eb triad triplet run in groups of 4. (he demonstrated by playing the line)

How to practice: Play scales and arpeggios in groupings of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 etc. Do that in 8th notes and triplets. Be able to place the accent wherever you want.

Play along with records to develop time/groove. He would learn/play along with James Brown records.

Listen to the Basie band circa '57-'58.

OUTSIDE PLAYING

No formula

Tends to think either in key or polytonal. They exist in tandem, not either/or.

In key (Dm for his examples) would be thinking of something as Dm6/9#11. You can chromatically alter anything but it's always related to the key. You can think of them as passing tones or embellishments. Keep the 3rd and 7th for the chord quality and embellish everything else. Thinks of it as amending the sound of D or playing D "things."

Polytonal/Polychords: He would think of that same Dm6/9#11 as an E triad over Dm. He first became aware of the concept listening to Trane's Africa on the Africa/Brass album. You can also harmonize the outside note(s). The G#/Ab that is outside could be the 3rd of E, the b3 of Fm, the 7th of A, the b7 of Bb, the 5th of Db, etc. Play those respective triads over the Dm.

Outside playing requires ears. You have to hear it.

GEAR

Twin Reverb settings: Vol 2.5-3, treble off, mid 4, bass 4, a little reverb. Guitar tone on 10. (he was using his 335 with this amp)

D'Andrea picks

Distortion is rarely pedals. He likes power amp saturation and vintage amps. Uses attenuation. SPL Reducer is by far his favorite.

With Dice (Hendrix inspired) he uses a 1971 Marshall on 6 attenuated down.

Main strats are a 1965 and 1974. Stock pickups.

Almost always keeps pickups stock. 1 tele has Jim Rolph pickups.

Uses custom string gagues:

335: 13 16 18 28 38 49 (11s on bottom 4, thicker top 2)

Strat & Tele: 12 14 18 28 38 52

FAVORITE RECORDS (I wrote down as many as I could but didn't get everything)

Hendrix - Band of Gypsys (and another I missed)

Trane - A Love Supreme, Crescent, Plays The Blues, Giant Steps (probably missed a couple)

Miles - Milestones, Round Midnight, Relaxin, Steamin, ESP, Nefertiti (mentioned a bunch of others that I couldn't get)

Bird - Savoy Sessions

Weather Report - Heavy Weather, Mr Gone

George Benson - Cookbook (1 other I missed)

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book, Secret Life of Plants

P-Funk - Mothership Connection

Zep - II, House of the Holy

Muddy Waters - Folk Singer

Bill Frisell - Where In The World

Pat Metheny - Rejoicing

Sco - said he loved and listened to a bunch but didn't mention anything specific

Steve Coleman - Rhythm People, Black Science

PE - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back

Wes - California Dreaming, Incredible Jazz Guitar, Smokin at the Half Note

A bunch of Earth, Wind & Fire

RANDOM

Music is about sound and rhythm. If you have that you can play anything.

Thinks of music as 4 parts: sound - rhythm - melody - harmony. Those 4 parts go from easy to complex concepts to 'get.' They go from hard to easy concepts to learn/teach.

Big fan of Hendrix's hybrid rhythm/lead style of chording.

Look at music from as many vantages that you can think of.

Different approaches can still lead to the same result.

Have a multi-faceted approach.

No one approach is "correct."

Melodic passages can exist just because they're so strong, regardless of how they relate to the underlying changes.

Read through the Charlie Parker Omnibook a lot in high school which is how he feels he developed his chromatic/embellishment style when playing changes.

Loves Red Garland and Wynton Kelly.

Works on theoretical approaches when practicing. Trys not to think about it when playing. It becomes second nature. His study has informed his ear.

Your ears and your fingers should always have a conversation - Peter Bernstein (sometimes ears lead, sometimes fingers lead)

Composing = no rules.

Plays ideas into phone's voice memo to capture ideas.

That should keep me busy till I leave this world…

 

[brocksultan45]

He did an online masterclass at the beginning of the covid shutdown that I took some notes on:



Practice/warm up is for articulation & sound production

WARM UP

1) First thing he does every day: Segovia scales as written in the book. Uses alternate picking. Does it to connect with the instrument. Likes that it emphasizes efficient shifting. Pays close attention to note duration. Technical control is so you can express the music the way you hear it.

2) Arpeggios - 2 octaves. Plays each arpeggio 2x and plays them through the cycle of 5ths. Maj 7 (CEGB), Min 7 (CEbGBb) and MinMaj7 (CEbGB)

3) Select Bach Sonatas and/or Partitas. He played the Bm Sonata in this case. Varies each day. He has many memorized.

These are tools to address sound production and rhythmic articulation.

PLAYING OVER CHANGES

Like to practice rhythm changes and turnarounds. I-VI7-ii-V and iii-VI7-ii-V7 are very important sounds.

Practices playing continual 8th notes over the above changes that clearly outlines the sound without chordal accompaniment. Scale and arpeggios primarily.

SWEEP PICKING

Uses it to try to emulate saxophone phrasing.

Mute the strings with left hand and sweep pick strings 6-5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5-6. Use a metronome for rhythmic accuracy and articulate each 'note.'

Arpeggio exercise for sweep picking (in G, string 6-5-4-3-2-1) play G D A B E B.

Take above pattern through diatonic chords in G (G Am Bm C D Em Fdim)

Try to make sweep picking groove the way alternate picking does.

Another arpeggio exercise (all chords Major 7; ascend first chord, descend second, etc): A F Ab E A Gb F Db

TRANSCRIBING

Main benefit is you are spending time in a masters world.

Secondary benefit is ear training. Improvisers must be able to identify what they hear and play it.

Learn notes and phrasing. Phrasing is most important. Get as close to the phrasing as you possibly can.

Don't take licks to regurgitate in your own solos.

Don't memorize the language.

Do analyze what the melodic line is doing over the changes. Don't complicate it though.

TECHNIQUE

Right hand floats. Does not rest on bridge. If he needs to mute strings (from ringing out) it's primarily the left hand that does it unless it's a specifically muted guitar part.

RHYTHM

Mentioned a Herbie track. Thinks it was Stella By Starlight on the My Funny Valentine album. Over a G7alt Herbie plays a triplet run up the G altered scale and descends with an Eb triad triplet run in groups of 4. (he demonstrated by playing the line)

How to practice: Play scales and arpeggios in groupings of 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 etc. Do that in 8th notes and triplets. Be able to place the accent wherever you want.

Play along with records to develop time/groove. He would learn/play along with James Brown records.

Listen to the Basie band circa '57-'58.

OUTSIDE PLAYING

No formula

Tends to think either in key or polytonal. They exist in tandem, not either/or.

In key (Dm for his examples) would be thinking of something as Dm6/9#11. You can chromatically alter anything but it's always related to the key. You can think of them as passing tones or embellishments. Keep the 3rd and 7th for the chord quality and embellish everything else. Thinks of it as amending the sound of D or playing D "things."

Polytonal/Polychords: He would think of that same Dm6/9#11 as an E triad over Dm. He first became aware of the concept listening to Trane's Africa on the Africa/Brass album. You can also harmonize the outside note(s). The G#/Ab that is outside could be the 3rd of E, the b3 of Fm, the 7th of A, the b7 of Bb, the 5th of Db, etc. Play those respective triads over the Dm.

Outside playing requires ears. You have to hear it.

GEAR

Twin Reverb settings: Vol 2.5-3, treble off, mid 4, bass 4, a little reverb. Guitar tone on 10. (he was using his 335 with this amp)

D'Andrea picks

Distortion is rarely pedals. He likes power amp saturation and vintage amps. Uses attenuation. SPL Reducer is by far his favorite.

With Dice (Hendrix inspired) he uses a 1971 Marshall on 6 attenuated down.

Main strats are a 1965 and 1974. Stock pickups.

Almost always keeps pickups stock. 1 tele has Jim Rolph pickups.

Uses custom string gagues:

335: 13 16 18 28 38 49 (11s on bottom 4, thicker top 2)

Strat & Tele: 12 14 18 28 38 52

FAVORITE RECORDS (I wrote down as many as I could but didn't get everything)

Hendrix - Band of Gypsys (and another I missed)

Trane - A Love Supreme, Crescent, Plays The Blues, Giant Steps (probably missed a couple)

Miles - Milestones, Round Midnight, Relaxin, Steamin, ESP, Nefertiti (mentioned a bunch of others that I couldn't get)

Bird - Savoy Sessions

Weather Report - Heavy Weather, Mr Gone

George Benson - Cookbook (1 other I missed)

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book, Secret Life of Plants

P-Funk - Mothership Connection

Zep - II, House of the Holy

Muddy Waters - Folk Singer

Bill Frisell - Where In The World

Pat Metheny - Rejoicing

Sco - said he loved and listened to a bunch but didn't mention anything specific

Steve Coleman - Rhythm People, Black Science

PE - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back

Wes - California Dreaming, Incredible Jazz Guitar, Smokin at the Half Note

A bunch of Earth, Wind & Fire

RANDOM

Music is about sound and rhythm. If you have that you can play anything.

Thinks of music as 4 parts: sound - rhythm - melody - harmony. Those 4 parts go from easy to complex concepts to 'get.' They go from hard to easy concepts to learn/teach.

Big fan of Hendrix's hybrid rhythm/lead style of chording.

Look at music from as many vantages that you can think of.

Different approaches can still lead to the same result.

Have a multi-faceted approach.

No one approach is "correct."

Melodic passages can exist just because they're so strong, regardless of how they relate to the underlying changes.

Read through the Charlie Parker Omnibook a lot in high school which is how he feels he developed his chromatic/embellishment style when playing changes.

Loves Red Garland and Wynton Kelly.

Works on theoretical approaches when practicing. Trys not to think about it when playing. It becomes second nature. His study has informed his ear.

Your ears and your fingers should always have a conversation - Peter Bernstein (sometimes ears lead, sometimes fingers lead)

Composing = no rules.

Plays ideas into phone's voice memo to capture ideas.

Thank you!!!