Free Rogers

Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation, he was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona and wide vocal range, which included a far-reaching falsetto and high-pitched screams. Prince produced his albums himself, pioneering the Minneapolis sound. His music incorporated a wide variety of styles, including funk, R&B, rock, new wave, soul, synth-pop, pop, jazz, and hip hop. He often played most or all instruments on his recordings.

The combination of Greg Osby with Terri Lyne Carrington is quite logical. Altoist Osby, an original innovator with the M-Base movement (which explored free-form funk) has a very original improvising style. Since Carrington has always loved funk, as has electric bassist Jimmy Haslip (of the Yellowjackets), this match-up works quite well. Osby's interplay with guitarist Adam Rogers is also a major plus. Other than a Joni Mitchell piece ("Ethiopia") that the drummer sings, the repertoire is comprised of group originals. Whether it be overt funky pieces, brooding ballads or the well-titled "Fire," the music is explorative, unpredictable and usually grooving. Well worth exploring by fans of creative funk/jazz.