Man, he was an absolute great. One of the best! Very Benson-esque in some parts. He did say he learned quite a bit from him. But no doubt he had his own thing happening. Love what the bassist is doing here.
I learned of your Dad from bassist and organist Donnie Beck! When I finally heard Billy I was blown away. I love that album Dave Stryker put together. 🙏
Thank you for posting this. This is an earlier period in his always mind blowing too brief career, roughly 14 years before his tragic and untimely death. If you have more……please don’t hold back and again many,many thanks!
Thank you for posting this. I've never heard this before and it is precious to me. I met Billy and our best friend John Maller in the 1970s when I was 17. There was nobody playing what Billy did then. He truly revolutionized the way that jazz guitar is played and took it to a whole new level. Some of the younger guys have started figuring out some of Billy's kicks but not all of. I don't think that anyone will be able to figure out all of them. I miss them both dearly. We were the closest of friends and were inseparable since the first moment that we met. Thank you so much again for posting this. It really means the world to me to have one more recording of Billy to listen to.
Well thanks for the great response ..Billy is sitting in with my band Portland Oregon around 1973 when he’s with George sharing and the coincidence is that John Maller was staying at my house previously and told me about Billy Rogers I had no idea he was with George Shearing .When George came to town months later , I went up and introduced myself to Billy and we ended up hanging out and playing in several clubs .I’m playing second guitar here with Billy ....the drummer is Bruce Carter and went on to play with Gabor Zabo and Kenny G and the bass player another coincidence ...is Lester MacFarland who was the bass player with the Crusaders when they toured with The Rolling Stones ... Billy was the sweetest and most humble person I’ve ever met. I taped some other stuff with Billy and I may post it in the future.
I played with him. Phenomenal! I heard him do a two guitar hit in Minneapolis with Mike Elliot another bad player. And a rhythm section. They were equals. Dave Stryker has done a lot of work to preserve Billy´s legend.
I brought Billy to my gig here in Portland met him with George Shearing ... apologize for the recording it was on my Panasonic cassette player.. rhythm section was excellent Bruce Carter from Pleasure and Gabor Szabo on drums and Lester MacFarland who been on the road with Crusaders... Billy just lit it... playing rhythm with him was a breeze..
Thank you for your story I appreciate them a lot. Things have changed in my life. I’m the only one left and I have received some of my heritage in the recent months(kinda cool).
@@lazdow9229 I recently wrote an article about the transformative night I first saw Billy perform decades ago. His astonishing musicality was truly unforgettable. You may enjoy the remembrance. “A Bolt of Thunder” is the title. It’s posted on Substack.
Man, he was an absolute great. One of the best! Very Benson-esque in some parts. He did say he learned quite a bit from him. But no doubt he had his own thing happening. Love what the bassist is doing here.
You have Billy Rogers son listening. Lots of things have been lost over the years to me. So it’s very nice to see and hear him on my RUclips feed
I learned of your Dad from bassist and organist Donnie Beck! When I finally heard Billy I was blown away. I love that album Dave Stryker put together. 🙏
Thank you for posting this. This is an earlier period in his always mind blowing too brief career, roughly 14 years before his tragic and untimely death. If you have more……please don’t hold back and again many,many thanks!
Thank you for posting this. I've never heard this before and it is precious to me. I met Billy and our best friend John Maller in the 1970s when I was 17. There was nobody playing what Billy did then. He truly revolutionized the way that jazz guitar is played and took it to a whole new level. Some of the younger guys have started figuring out some of Billy's kicks but not all of. I don't think that anyone will be able to figure out all of them. I miss them both dearly. We were the closest of friends and were inseparable since the first moment that we met. Thank you so much again for posting this. It really means the world to me to have one more recording of Billy to listen to.
Well thanks for the great response ..Billy is sitting in with my band Portland Oregon around 1973 when he’s with George sharing and the coincidence is that John Maller was staying at my house previously and told me about Billy Rogers I had no idea he was with George Shearing .When George came to town months later , I went up and introduced myself to Billy and we ended up hanging out and playing in several clubs .I’m playing second guitar here with Billy ....the drummer is Bruce Carter and went on to play with Gabor Zabo and Kenny G and the bass player another coincidence ...is Lester MacFarland who was the bass player with the Crusaders when they toured with The Rolling Stones ... Billy was the sweetest and most humble person I’ve ever met. I taped some other stuff with Billy and I may post it in the future.
PLEASE post whatever you can. This is holy grail material.@@jansen_music
I played with him. Phenomenal! I heard him do a two guitar hit in Minneapolis with Mike Elliot another bad player. And a rhythm section. They were equals. Dave Stryker has done a lot of work to preserve Billy´s legend.
I brought Billy to my gig here in Portland met him with George Shearing ... apologize for the recording it was on my Panasonic cassette player.. rhythm section was excellent Bruce Carter from Pleasure and Gabor Szabo on drums and Lester MacFarland who been on the road with Crusaders... Billy just lit it... playing rhythm with him was a breeze..
This is his son Scott I’m in Portland and I would love to hear your stories you have of my father
@@ScottRogers-ft3vj donjansen.com/index.html message me.
Thank you for your story I appreciate them a lot. Things have changed in my life. I’m the only one left and I have received some of my heritage in the recent months(kinda cool).
Great to hear Billy Rogers!!
Saw Billy Rogers and John Maller play in 1974 in the Old Market at a bar called Farquhars. Later it was renamed the Howard Street Tavern.
I did too. It was Christmas time. He was my cousin, my idol and that night was transformative !
@@lazdow9229 I recently wrote an article about the transformative night I first saw Billy perform decades ago. His astonishing musicality was truly unforgettable. You may enjoy the remembrance. “A Bolt of Thunder” is the title. It’s posted on Substack.