Their performances combine Larry’s highly original, somewhat serious music with Roger’s highly non-serious improvisational clowning. The experience transports the audience on a hilarious and uplifting journey.

Roger is a comic performer of the old school, who combines techniques of the traditional European street performers and medieval jesters with modern improvisation. He has juggled, performed magic tricks, played music, and mimed his way through crowds of all sizes, leaving a trail of laughter across 23 countries, for more than 30 years.

Roger was a member of the renowned performance group Mummenschanz in New York and Europe. He traveled with Circus Roncalli in Germany, with the Circus Knie in Switzerland, and the Circus Brazil Jack in Sweden. He now lives in western Massachusetts.

“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

“I refuse to let people not laugh.”                                                       Roger the Jester

“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

“The first time I saw Roger the Jester perform ”, says Chernicoff, “without knowing anything about his background, I knew that he could appear on any stage, circus ring or street corner in the world, and win over any audience. I found out later that he’s been doing just that for over 20 years.

“He has the universal quality of the traditional street performer. He doesn’t need language. He can overwhelm you with laughter, then bring you to tears two seconds later. He’s an improviser, like a jazz musician, and it’s a thrill to share a stage with him. His physical skills as a juggler and comic mime are incredible. He can incorporate just about anything into his routine - and he does. But he transcends the role of "juggler" - he somehow manages to enlighten the whole human spirit while he's doing it.

“When we did our first show, I expected it to be an evening of laughter for adults. But a lot of families showed up, and the first few rows were filled with kids. They sat through our music set with real interest. I was surprised at their attention span, but I think there’s a whole generation of kids who’ve never seen a stand-up bass or a saxophone up close, or listened to un-amplified music. They responded really well to our set.

“Then Roger came out, and the musicians stood backstage to watch his solo act, and we were just hysterical. We could see out into the audience, where people were rolling in the aisles -- everyone, adults and children. When we came back out on stage to accompany him, he just broke us up. The saxophone players had to take their horns out of their mouths because they were laughing so hard that they couldn’t play.

"Sometimes it’s just Roger and me, sometimes it’s the quintet, or a larger group with different instrumentation. We’ve had guests, -- dancers, accordion players, guitarists, violins. It’s a highly improvisational approach. For a while, the music leaned toward my dance tunes – tangos, waltzes, the twist – and that colored the gigs in a certain way. It changes a lot, but whatever the band does is a frame around Roger’s hilarious genius. Nobody reaches an audience the way he does. He has this character he does, the Old Man, who’s just as poignant and sad as the rest of his act is funny. You just have to see it.”