Natascha Rogers
Biography
Of an American and Dutch family, Natascha Rogers was raised in Holland until the age of 12, before moving to France in 1996. As a self-trained musician, she played the piano for a long time until her discovery of Mandé and Afro-Cuban percussions at the age of 16 through her diligent practice of African dance.
In 2004, she joined the CIAM in Bordeaux for a 2-year training, then the conservatory. It's at that time that she got close to her masters in Afro-Cuban percussions: Jean-Marc Pierna who, through private lessons introduced her to Rumba (and who remains today one of her main references), and Olivier Congar, who directed the first training course that she attended in Cuba in 2005.
She discovers the Caribbean island's musical traditions (Salsa and Cuban folk music) through a solitary trip where she studies alongside Maximino Duquesne, Ernesto Gatel « El Gato », Alberto Villareal, soon adopting this culture as her own. She regularly returns to Cuba where she appreciates the people's simplicity and determination that help her find the affirmation of her own personality.
In 2005 she starts composing the lyrics and melodies that will shape the tunes of her future record. She performs live with a Brazilian Batucada and a feminine percussion band (Afro-Latin music). As a self-trained vocalist, her voice gains confidence as she performs and collaborates with many artists, such as Galanga Quintet (jam world jazz) and Mayna, as a duo on a Latin music vocal repertoire (opening for David Sicard and recording of a CD). She now holds two simultaneous roles: percussionist and vocalist (lead or background), which defines her as a unique artist.
She moved to Paris in 2010, where she met many new musicians and started collaborating with new bands. She started rehearsing with musicians of her own band and also joined Zap Mama, with whom she performed on an international tour in 2011 (Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia and over 30 concerts across Europe).
She collaborated for 2 years with the singer BEN1 (Samba-Funk) in a trio formation for 10 concerts in France. She is also the feminine performer of the band Bailongo (Cuban and Puerto-Rican Salsa Fusion, Cd producing in progress), who has performed in over 30 concerts in France and in the Constantine Jazz Festival (Algeria). Since 2011 she collaborates with the Raphaëlle Atlan Quintet (CD in progress). The following year she met and collaborated with Gerald Toto (Pop World) and Tom Frager (Reggae-Pop, CD in progress).
In 2013 she performs alongside Siân Pottok in a trio formation (Folk music, signed by Universal Records) and is now part of the Drum de DAMES Collective (feminine percussion ensemble). She has been on tour with the famous singer from Mali, Fatoumata Diawara, on percussions and vocals in 2014. Today she is on tour with Oum from Marocco and Bachar Mar Khalifé from Liban. She has met a Franco-Colombian singer too for the outcome of her EP, ËDA trio!
Since September 2018 she's on tour with Fixi & Winston McAnuff in France and around the world during 2019 and 2020!
In late 2010, as she grew from all these experiences, Natascha Rogers launched her own project revolving around compositions matured over the last five years and rooted in Afro-American, Afro-Cuban and Mandé musical traditions mixed with jazz and pop, creating music in perfect osmosis with her time and reflecting her wish to express herself through a music that is both authentic and effective. In 2012, she delivers a great performance at the Casablanca Jazz Festival (Morocco) and at the Festival des Musiques Du Monde (France). Surrounded by 5 experienced musicians and many guests she releases her first record « Rise Your Soul » on November 27th with a concert on the famous New Morning stage in Paris, accompanied by a sextet. She toured for 2 years with this 1st album! Today she has released her 2nd album « YOUR FACE », looking forward to sharing it as much as possible through 2019 & 2020!
Country: France
Band: Natascha Rogers
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