Interview with: Canadese Blues/Americana-Musician "Jesse Roper"
Reports
Last Saturday, I had the honours of making a photo report at my local fest."Bagafest roots Night" ...never expected to find such great music a couple of streets away from my home.
When Eric Vanderfeesten, organiser and musician suggested me to do a short interview of Jesse Roper, Who is currently touring europe with his band, i couldn't resist the opportunity and this would be my first solo interview, which i found pretty exiting, so i quickly put together a few questions that i would like to know from Jesse.
Jesse was so relax about it.. He put me at ease and what started as an interview became a pleasant conversation...
Is it allright for you if I ask you a couple of questions? Jesse: "Sure!"
so I put my phone in recording mode, and said.. O.K. its recording... Jesse answered: "we got that part!"
When did you start performing? “Oooo Djees I Guess I started playing in front of people when I was 18, started playing guitar when I was 6, and that was watching my dad play… he's a big music aficionado (liefhebber), actually at the time my mom played a little music too, which was really cool..and my older brother, so I watched them, decided I wanna play guitar so my dad bought me this little ukulele and then a small necked guitar, dad put me on lessons right away and I learned classical… but that didn’t really intrest me, I listened to AC/DC and Angus Young so I started playing that never thinking I would be a performer.. but was at a bar one night when I was 18 and there was an open mike... my buddy was all over me to play music there “live” so he basically broke in to my car, took my guitar and put it on stage… put my name on the list.. next thing I know they’e calling me up on stage! and I couldn’t turn them down… but I was taken by surprise and terrified and even almost a bit mad at this guy! but then I played and it was so much fun! And I couldn’t deny…. I wanted to do that more! So I started writing songs.. played in bars and stuff.. got a little band together and it slowly morphed though the years… now we’re at Bagafest! Touring Europe! When I get home we’re touring from DC to Colorado... its cool!”
So were talking about icons... in a dream scenario, Who inspired you and would love to or make music and get on stage with? “Definitly Angus Young … if you see these two blues icons like Steve ray Vaughan and Albert King sitting down together.. I mean, if I could sit down and jam with anybody, it would definitely be Angus Young… for sure, he’s my hero… also Jack Black, Big fan of him.. I feel like we could make some twisted crazy music…. ...Adele! Her voice blows me away… would love to sing with her.”
I Would definitely be a fan of that! Jesse asked me: “Do you know Derek Trucks? … me: “no, never heard of.. OOOOooo you gotta check him out man! with the Tedeschi trucks band , he’s a Slide guitar blues guy who, of the modern blues guy’s... he’s got the most flavor! “
Where do you like to perform? “Anywhere! I just love playing music!” But this one’s pretty awesome rootsy, home town!
What’s your favorite venue? “There’s a place called Neat Cafe just outside Ottawa canada literally on a crossroad its a little theater with awesome equipment, great sound… its small… its special… people come from all over to be at this place and experience the roots bluesy vibe there. “
Tell me about your own favorite album? “I’ve got two favorites… if that’s ok with you.. ; ) My third album red bird.. I got myself…my spirit into that album, and then later with horizons.. I got the feeling I did the same thing again. Both of them have totally different flavors.. but I love ‘em. “
My fiinal question for you: What's the Message you would like to pass on to your fans?
O wauw. Man… I guess I need to think a minute about that…
...I think that people should practice countiously listening to each other.
And really try to understand the people around them before making judgement.
For me that ment keeping my mouth shut and listen. And I got to know people around me way better….There are a lot of really cool people out there.
Thank you so much for the interview and this (important!) message... Jesse!