It was Bon Voyage time at Birdland for the Johnny Rodgers Band—guitarist Joe Ravo (“Cotton Eye Joe”), drummer and vocalist Danny Mallon (“Mad Dog”), bassist Brian Glassman (“'Mud Man”) and Johnny himself (“Poppy Sunshine”).  Dressed in dapper black suits with brightly colored silk shirts and handkerchiefs, they were off on “The Rhythm Road” for a month in Fiji, New Guinea, Singapore, Cambodia, Burma and Malaysia, with their all-American rock/pop/jazz sounds from Dixie to Mendocino.

Far from leisurely R&R, Rodgers is Mr. Ambassador of American music and, for spreading diplomacy, you can’t get much better than this energetic, energizing music man and his merry band that stirs hip with traditional.  Rodgers is an amalgam of American spirit and songs.  Obviously, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs agrees, joining with Jazz at Lincoln Center to co-sponsor Rodgers as he follows in the footsteps of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton and others who have used music as a diplomatic tool.

Affably, Rodgers discussed the project and some of his interpretations, including the Louis Armstrong hit, “What a Wonderful World” (Robert Thiele/George David Weiss), with a resonant backup giving it a universal world music sound.  He revived Sam Cooke’s rock ‘n’ roll classic “Bring It on Home,” with added vocal backup by drummer Danny Mallon, and the hit by Hoosier Hoagy Carmichael, “Huggin’ and Chalkin’” (Clarence Leonard Hayes/Kermit Goell).  Tucking his red hanky into the guitar,  Joe Ravo produced a banjo twang for Carol Hall’s “Change in Me.” Rodgers changed the mood with a nod to Chet Baker in a sinuous “Let’s Get Lost,” (Jimmy McHugh/Frank Loesser) and a bluesy mega-hit for Ray Charles, “Georgia on My Mind” (Hoagy Carmichael/Stuart Gorrell).  Adding his evident fondness for the Johnny Mercer songbook, Rodgers sampled the American canon with smooth vocals and distinct lyrics.

A songwriter/arranger himself, Rodgers included some of his original tunes, like “Miss Dixie,” claiming that “…Dixie made a man of me.”  He also introduced a jaunty new number, “Grannyland,” recently written with Sue Fabisch for a new show, Motherhood – The Musical.

Mentioning that he wants to build bridges between the cultures, perform with local musicians and reach out to the children, there’s a good chance that by the end of November, Johnny Rodgers will have proven the Louis Armstrong message, “What a Wonderful World” this could be.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
October 25, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org