Results for "Roger Smith"

Roger Smith

Born: April 21, 1959

Roger Smith was born to play the Hammond organ, and destined to become a member of Tower of Power. Since 1998, Roger has been a part of the Tower Sound, drawing on all of his earlier experiences and influences to lead him to where he is today.

From the time he was a child Roger played piano and took music lessons. His early musical education began in church but because of creative limitations he soon lost interest. At that time, Roger and his family had moved from Texas to Sacramento, CA. As fate would have it, a fellow 6th grader who lived down the street had an uncle who's occupation would change young Roger's musical tastes forever. Philadelphia's Jimmy McGriff, a legendary jazz organist had a brother that lived just a few doors down from the Smith's. During a visit, Roger was introduced to a sound that fascinated him, the Hammond B-3 organ. Jimmy McGriff taught him a couple of signature blues songs, "Down The Road A Piece" and "Little Red Rooster". From that time on the keyboard, and the Hammond organ in particular, became an important part of Roger's life.

50 Years of Funk and Soul

By Tower of Power

Label: Mack Avenue Records
Released: 2021
Track listing: Stroke '75; Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us; You Ought to Be Havin' Fun; Soul with a Capital S; Stop; You're so Wonderful; Just When we Start Makin' It; On the Serious Side; Soul Vaccination; What is Hip; Do You Like That?; Drop It in the Slot; Can't You See?; Maybe It'll Rub Off; Don't Change Horses; Squib Cakes; On the Soul Side of Town; Diggin' on James Brown; So Very Hard To Go; Knock Yourself Out; You're Still a Young Man; Souled Out.

Tower of Power: 50 Years of Funk and Soul

by John Pietaro
April 15, 2021

In the realm of power funk and jazz-rock, Tower of Power was an original voice, one carved from a unique place within an exceptionally heady moment. And this convergence of forces, clearly, has yet to cool some 53 years hence. Horns? They've carried up to six at a time, to hell with diminished door ...

Smooth Jazz Saxophonist Kenney Polson On Tour In Hawaii July-August 2019 With New Album

July 25, 2019

Sailing high on the success of his latest album, For Lovers Only, jny: Portland-based smooth jazz saxophonist Kenney Polson returns to Hawaii in July. His new sound merges the best of jazz and rhythm and blues into one cool and captivating blend. The 2019 release includes leading players such as guitarist Bruce Conte and keyboardist Roger ...

Kenney Polson: For Lovers Only

by Geannine Reid
April 7, 2019

Saxophonist Kenney Polson may not be a household name but he has a lengthy pedigree in jazz and smooth jazz. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri to a musical family; a grandfather worked with Count Basie and Cab Calloway and an uncle sang with the Coasters. Polson's discography since 2010 includes Serendipity (2014, No Slop ...

Was Out Jazz Zone Mad

By Tony Adamo

Label: Ropeadope Records
Released: 2018
Track listing: Rain Man; Sonic Henderson; B.B. King Blues Oh Fire; Birth Of The Cool; General T; Boogaloo The Funky Beat; Card Dealer; Gale Blowin High; To Funky To Flush; Jax Bulldog Priest; I'm Out The Door; Let The Devil Pay My Way; Fly Jump Or Die.

John Butcher

by John Eyles
November 9, 2018

In the Building a Jazz Library article on Evan Parker, it says that seasoned Parker followers would describe him as the finest improvising saxophonist of his generation. Curiously, many of those same people would use exactly that phrase about John Butcher. The simple explanation for this apparent contradiction is that we are talking about two generations; ...

Tony Adamo and Roger Smith of Tower Of Power Collaborate on "Rain Man Make it Rain Love my Way"— Becomes All About Jazz Top Track

June 9, 2018

Tony Adamo on his collaboration with Roger Smith... My Tower of Power (TOP) connection goes back more than 20 years to a recording session in Dave Hartel’s studio in Half Moon Bay, California. Hartel was the organ player for Lydia Pense and Cold Blood at the time, and brought in Mic Gillette and Skip Mesquite to ...

Tower of Power: Great American Soulbook

by Woodrow Wilkins
July 19, 2009

For more than 40 years, Tower of Power has been thrilling audiences with its brassy sound. Whether as a stand-alone act or backing up another group, this 10-piece ensemble has crossed many genres, including blues, pop, jazz, funk, rock and soul. Having worked with such a diversity of acts as Aerosmith and Spyro Gyra, ...

The Butterfly And The Bee

By Roger Smith

Label: Emanem
Released: 2005
Track listing: The Butterfly and the Bee, Enclosed Sun, Webern in Africa, Letters to Insects, Involuntary Sculptures, Events that Rhyme, Uncancelled