Jesse Roper

JESSE ROPER

Based in Victoria, BC, Jesse Roper is a blues/Americana artist with a penchant for writing modern indie-infused blues music and delivering bombastic live performances buoyed by his virtuosic guitar playing. His innate and impressive musical talent has served him well, giving him the flexibility to play with soul icon Booker T. Jones, rock veteran Colin James, blues belter Beth Hart, and Canadian legend Burton Cummings. The stage is where Roper shines. It has been his home since overcoming crippling stage fright during his early twenties. Fear is a part of Roper’s past that barely seems real today – especially when you see the in-concert image of a six-string soldier, hair matted to his face, tearing up the stage, without a hint of second-guessing. 

Roper’s last album ‘Horizons’ marked a sonic high point in his career thus far. Working closely with famed JUNO-nominated producer Gus van Go (Metric, The Stills, Whitehorse, Arkells, The Trews, Sam Roberts) on that new collection of songs has pushed Roper into creating some of his best work. “Recording with Gus and Werner F was on a whole new level. 

Roper released the first single off his upcoming LP (to be released in late 2023) “Make It All Work Out” on March 29th, 2023. The song charted on Canadian terrestrial and satellite radio throughout the spring and early summer. Now all eyes are on the next release, “Throw This Rope” produced by Gus van Go (Metric, Whitehorse, Sam Roberts Band). The song will be the second of multiple energetic, fresh, soulful and r&b inspired tracks from a forthcoming LP that harkens the voices of JJ Cale, The Teskey Brothers, Ben Harper and others – while maintaining Roper’s strong and unique expression in the genre. 

When asked to describe the song, Jesse remarks, “Throw This Rope is about being told how to run your life and career by folks who are currently running theirs aground. I sure don’t know everything and I never will but I’ve been given every manner of advice from folks who have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s frustrating sometimes.”

Jesse is a master at connecting his personal story and experiences to his songwriting – crafting narratives that hit on life’s challenges and eccentricities – but that remain upbeat, engaging and wildly entertaining songs. 

Adventuresome doesn’t properly describe Roper as an artist, because when the guitar-wielding dynamo sets out to accomplish something, there’s no telling where his mind will wander, or when his energy will go.

PRESSING STRINGS
When music is given the benefit of instinct, imagination and inspiration, the results are guaranteed to be good. So it ought to come as no surprise that the critically-acclaimed Annapolis Maryland-based trio, appropriately dubbed Pressing Strings, has infused those elements within their musical mantra the beginning. The band —Jordan Sokel (Guitar/Vocals), Nick Welker (Bass, Vocals), and Justin Kruger (Drums, Vocals) can trace its origins to Sokel’s initial fascination with some iconic influences, among them, the usual suspects — Dylan, Marley, Simon, Withers, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin, etc., as well as some more under the radar artists like Taj Mahal, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Nick Drake.