Music

ABOUT
As I look back, I feel fortunate to have been involved in the arts for most of my life. In my early career, I was a professional musician and booking agent in the music business, and I have spent the last 25 years as an art dealer and Chicago gallery owner. It certainly has not been an easy path to follow, but it often has been very rewarding, and certainly beats doing actual work!

I have always enjoyed presenting Fine art and Music together and over the years have organized many concerts in the gallery featuring some of Chicago’s best singer/songwriters. Lately, I have been given some great opportunities to once again get out there and play some music myself. I have really enjoyed it, and look forward to more opportunities to perform and share music with others. -Byron Roche

MYSPACE MUSIC
Listen to Byron's recent and vintage recordings at his My Space Music Page.

"I went down to my hometown, St Louis in December, 2010 to make a recording of one of my favorite Mike Jordan songs, “Long Time.” * I sang and played the guitar parts and my old friend Jeremy Vajda engineered. Jeremy and I have known each other since high school and we played music together for years. We came up to Chicago together in 1974 to play the clubs and join the folk scene and he eventually went back to St Louis and I stayed in Chicago. Jeremy is also a great painter and was one of my artists in the gallery. We have had a long history of collaboration.

Jeremy and I recorded the last two songs, “Roses” and “The Years Could Never Tell” in 1967 at the old Technisonic Studios in St Louis. (Ike Turner recorded “A Fool in Love” there in 1960)! The place that we were playing at the time paid for it and we cut a 45 and got some local airplay. I wrote “Roses” and Jeremy wrote “The Years Could Never Tell”.

*Mike Jordan, 1955-1992 (another old friend), was also from St Louis and he moved to Chicago in 1974 shortly after we did to play the clubs and join the music scene. Mike was a great singer, songwriter and single act a
nd later fronted several rock bands including “the Famous Potatoes” and “Mike Jordan and The Rockamatics.”

Photo by Arturo Garcia, TG Photo & Art

12.29.12

Saturday December 29th, 2012 Byron Roche will be playing at
Uncommon Ground (Clark & Grace), splitting the night with Larry Rand
and each playing a set between 10-12 PM.
www.uncommonground.com

6.24.12

Review of the Concert for Earl > Chicago Sun Times

All Star Lineup To Honor The Earl > Examiner.com

2.12.12

Larry Rand and Byron Roche performed on Sunday
February 12th, 2012 from 8-10 PM at Uncommon Ground.

5.20.12

Sunday, May 20, 2012
Byron Roche, Larry Rand & Nicole Mendyk
Uncommon Ground

REVIEWS

Check out Byron's review of the new album “Moonlit Déjà Vu” by Michael Johnson

Excerpt: Moonlit Déja Vu is Michael Johnson’s first studio album in 15 years.
The album proves that as a producer, songwriter and performer, Michael Johnson is at the top of his game. The minimal instrumentation and great song choices on the new album are reminiscent of his early albums and also show the taste and sensibilities of a mature artist.

I spoke with Michael about the album and he told me that he had connected with
his long lost and newly found daughter Truly Carmichael, who also lives in Minneapolis and he had moved back to Minnesota. He said that connecting with her played a large part in how the album came out.

“It just seemed that all roads were leading me back to Minnesota – signing with Red House, working on the new album and most especially, reconnecting with my daughter who lives here.” Truly Carmichael and Michael sang a duet on Michael’s song “One Mile Apart” on the album.
Byron Roche