"Don’t let the title fool you. Jazz & Jest is about as serious as you can get. The jazz was superb, and Roger the Jester provides fantastic comedic work to accompany the music. Larry Chernicoff handpicks some of the finest musicians in New England to perform his music, which is both introspective and groovy music.
A diverse audience of teenagers, children and adults were delighted to hear new and old renditions of Larry’s music, including performances from his award-winning album, October. Roger the Jester does not detract at all from the fine work of the musicians. He mimes between musical numbers, providing his unique flair of humor. In one tune, Roger actually joined the ensemble with his tuba. Improvisation is not limited to the musicians alone. Roger and the saxophonist did a clever, striking rendition of “Autumn Leaves” that this reviewer will never forget. Roger had the audience in stitches, then provided a sober rendition of an old man with uncanny accuracy." -- A Concert Presenter
“Larry Chernicoff’s group and Roger the Jester joined forces to bridge the gap between music and comedy…they successfully fused their separate art forms so that at times it was the music that made you laugh and the comedy that made you cry.
“In commedia del’arte-style mask, Roger was particularly endearing, accompanied by a pastoral-style piano solo by Chernicoff. On “The Great Barrington Waltz”, Roger joined the band on sqeezebox, and at times had the musicians laughing so hard they could barely play.
“That they could so gracefully and effectively support each other…was a testament to their talents and to the enduring wonder of the improvisational arts.” -- Berkshire Eagle
“You haven't heard about Roger the Jester yet? You will. You can't really describe him in words. You have to see him in person. I am in open-mouth admiration of his work. I don’t know how the *!?*! he does that stuff!” -- Pete Seeger, folk singer
“Behind
all this
wonderful foolishness there is a very serious and very concerned
and dedicated
artist, creating an hour of happiness for every audience he
appears before.”
-- Lotte Goslar, legendary European circus master.