Modern jazz virtuosity combusts with a raw, eclectic mixture of rock, funk, blues, country and R&B in a volatile combination that uniquely reflects our time while evoking the gritty street sounds of a bygone New York on the self-titled debut release by Adam Rogers’ DICE. The explosive power trio brings together Rogers, one of the most acclaimed and inventive guitarists in modern jazz, with a pair of longtime collaborators: bassist Fima Ephron and drummer Nate Smith - two of the most dynamic, versatile and sought-after musicians in the world of improvised music today. The sound of the group reflects the varied influences of Jazz, Funk, Rock and experimental music that have imbued Adams musical sphere since first picking up the guitar. Being a product of the 1960’s and 70s musical landscape, Adam’s initial musical inspirations were The Beatles and the sounds of R+B that were pervasive at the time– The Temptations, The Four tops, Isaac Hayes – to later subsuming the immense influence of Jimi Hendrix, the blues masters and the music of John Coltrane. He has crafted a body of work for the group that, through his kaleidoscopic lens, sonically and musically refracts these seminal influences into a cohesive, groove laden musical concept.
"This is thrilling, high energy music. It is muscular, with a punch. The recording is lean and superb -- every sound is honest and rich. And the compositional ideas are fascinating: a series of Rubik’s Cubes with rock punch." -- Will Layman, Popmatters
"Dice is a fully formed funky fiesta, with the guitarist nailing Hendrix's clean rhythm tones on many tracks, while atmospheric loops honor Jimi's experimental side." -- Michael Ross, Guitar player magazine
".. the guitarist and his crew summon up a powerhouse Band Of Gypsys aesthetic on the aggressive stop-time title track and other unmistakable Hendrixian numbers like "Sea Miner", "Elephant", "Chronics" and "L The bruce". Rogers gloriously does his thing, with respect to Jimi, on DICE." -- Bill Milkowski, Downbeat
"...just the right mix of elements: a high melting point, a low center of gravity, a knockabout brand of cohesion. “Elephant,” which has its premiere here, places the band on a decisive post-Hendrix continuum — bluesy and raw, spoiling for a fight." -- Nate Chinen, WBGO take five
"...an incredibly sophisticated power-and-pocket trio that's as intelligent as it is muscular. DICE, not surprisingly, delivers on every level." -- Dan Bilawsky, All about jazz
"Visceral, wild, fierce, industrious. Such is the music of DICE, the power trio of New York guitarist Adam Rogers". -- Thierry Peremarti, MC magazine
"Guitarists from every genre will find nothing but gems here. Rogers’ mastery of different guitar styles is compelling. Dice is deep but delivered in a very accessible fashion, one of the best guitar albums in recent memory." -- Brian Charette, NY jazz record
"Loud, that is a word you rarely read in a review of a jazz record. Pleasurably loud maybe is a better way of putting it. Stop what you are doing loud, etc. Cancel all your appointments loud." -- Stephen Graham, Marlbank.net
"Leave it to the inimitable Adam Rogers to take a classic instrumentation and nearly reinvent it. With his latest record, Dice, Rogers, bassist Fima Ephron and drummer Nate Smith take the power trio and show us all just how much is possible.." -- Paul Naser, Revive-music interview
"With DICE, Rogers, Ephron and Smith relate the sounds of New York City with a visceral musical invention that finds its base in the influences of Jazz, Funk, Rock and experimental music of the 60’s and 70’s. The music has tones of rock, funk, blues, country, and jazz as only these three innovative artists can create it. More often than not, the music is rhythmically jagged and shifting, but always moving in a unified direction that is energetic and a real pleasure to hear." -- Sylvannia Garutch, The Jazz Word
"Closing up with the deep rivulet of the title track “Dice,” Rogers, by mixing visceral Strat gut grindings with a dash of Space Cadet, showed how in one hour an artist can go from Willie Nelson to Jimi Hendrix without dropping a stitch, and making it work in a blues plate special. For Rogers, his Dice rolled a 7." -- George Harris, Jazz weekly
"Indeed, the heavy clout of the rhythm section throughout complements the guitarist’s robust and raunchy style, laying down thick, irregular grooves under daring, edge-of-your-seat blues riffs." -- Mark Youll, Jazz journal UK