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 was on a whole new level.
Roper latest releases are energetic, fresh, soulful and R&B-inspired tracks from a forthcoming LP that harkens the voices of JJ Cale, The Teskey Brothers, Leon Bridges, Ben Harper and others – while maintaining Roper’s strong and unique expression in the genre. 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.
