Customer Reviews

Many Facets of Roger

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Oh my god, Warner had to have something wrong with them. I am really surprised that Rhino had to talk Warner in to rereleasing this album. I'm glad they did though because Roger Troutman was an artist that you could dance to. He took the Talkbox, the guitar, and the Maxx Axx to a hole nother level. But He also new that the album wouldn't be complete without some blues in the mix. I am really thankful to Warner Bros. though because for years I had to listen to the album on a record. I really think that SuperMan should have been put on the album "We can make you dance, the first disc." Anyway you look at it, it's still a great album non-the-less. I hope that everybody who is a Roger Troutman fan buys this album and remembers this great and influentual artist.

Roger Troutman we miss you.

roger was truly one of the best artists ever this was his first and best solo effort bootsy collins dropped a funkbomb and roger hatched from it and gave the world classics like the much sampled so ruff so tuff, and I heard it through the grapevine every cut on here is funky and we miss you mr. troutman.

The work of the late musician Roger Troutman and his band Zapp has been widely exposed to the public through his association with the funk movement of the `late `70s and early `80s and the countless music samples taken from his work by rap artists. But if anyone even gives this guy a second thought these days, it's usually because of his innovative work with the "talk box," a voice-activated synthesizer popularized by Peter Frampton around the same time. Though he made a lot of great songs using the talk box, these casual fans are missing out on the "many facets" of one of funk's most versatile artists.

"The Many Facets of Roger" is Roger Troutman's first solo album from 1981. If you like your funk sophisticated but with a touch of grits and gravy, you're missing out on a gem. Troutman's command of multiple instruments, especially the guitar, is an aural treat. On "Maxx Axe," for example, he uses both raw synthesized and classy nylon-string guitar work, along with bouncy rhythm guitar and bass to ensconce the listener in jazz-funk guitar heaven. Whether "new-school" jazz artists like Marc Antoine realize it or not, Troutman provided the basic blueprint for their up-tempo work with "Axe" and other treats on "Facets" like "Do It Roger" and "A Chunk of Sugar"

Not stopping at sophisti-funk, Troutman brings a whole new dimension to a classic with his rendition of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." Who knows what possessed him to mess with such a legendary song, but he does it justice with a very fresh and funky groove, and fun instrumentation. In a similar vein is his very original "So Rough So Tough," a staple of "Old School" R&B stations everywhere. Not missing a beat, Troutman tackles the blues in "Blue (A Tribute To the Blues)," surprisingly good and authentic, even for Troutman.

Unlike many albums of this era, there is no filler. Every song on "Facets" is strong: tightly produced and played with sublime vocals, still sounding very fresh twenty-something years after the original release. Included in the reissue of "Facets" are single edits of "Grapevine" and "Do It" and an unreleased 1997 track called "Superman" that shows that funk constantly evolves. "Superman" is just as informed by the work of Nine Inch Nails as it is by George Clinton.

If you've read this far, you know you want "The Many Facets of Roger." Do yourself a favor. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Wow! It's about time that this great R&B/funk classic is domestically available on CD-it took Rhino Records' genius to nudge Warner Bros. to make it happen but, nonetheless, this is a release worth celebrating. Tracks "Do It Roger" and "A Chunk Of Sugar" that aren't available on the Zapp/Roger compilations(s) are NOW here. Not to mention that the title's popular compilation tracks like "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "So Ruff, So Tuff" are NOW available in their entire orginally-released track lengths. I am grateful!!!

It's nice 2 see someone finally remastered a classic album(Why does Rhino have 2 do everything? Shame on you Warner Brothers!!).What can I say? this is every funk fan's talkbox hero.Highly underated as a musician and songwriter,Roger took a classic song(Grapevine)and used his technology of the talkbox 2 make it a #1 R&B hit.I've seen him do this song at concert back in 98(1 year before his death)it was incredible,Roger& Zapp gave their all in a live show.I understand they still tour together(Zapp) but it wouldn't be the same not seeing Roger on stage playing the talkbox( It would be like The Revolution touring without Prince,it just doesn't make sense).I guess their still keeping his name alive so I guess I could understand,but with the amount of songs this man and his sound have been sampled on his name will never die.Rest In Peace Roger( BET,Soul Train and any other award show are insulting your legacy)

Roger Troutman it's long overdue on CD.this Album got much Play back Around My Way back in the day.His Grooves Were Long&Funky all the way.Chord Changes&So Many Styles all going&Hiting all at once was Something else.Roger is one of the most overlooked Artists Ever!! the Guy could Rock on So Many Instruments&brought a Whole New Bag of Groove to Music.Finally this Set is out.He took the Voice-Box to a whole different level&alot of folks are following His lead.others did it before Him such as Sly Stone&Peter Frampton but Roger took it to a whole different level.He rips into " I heard through the Grapevine" here.all Long&uncut Versions.

I was so glad when this album was digitally remastered, because this was the most

complete showcase of the genius of the late great Roger Troutman, even though he was

the mastermind behind the ZAPP stuff as well!

The first ZAPP album, released in 1980, had been produced by Roger Troutman and Bootsy Collins

and he and his family band was supposed to be the first act on George Clinton's

ill-fated UNCLE JAM label. But Roger must've smelled a rat or felt like GC's label wasn't

going anywhere because of George's and Bootsy's raging coke addictions and lack of business

savvy, so he took the finished masters that CBS Records had paid GC for to release on

UNCLE JAM and shopped them to Warner Bros. Records and scored a side deal for himself and ZAPP

and crossed GC and BOOTSY out of the picture!

Yeah, it was a dirty move from one perspective, but a very smart and savvy move from another perspective!

Long story short, both ZAPP and ROGER became a big success on the black music scene,

going gold and platinum and putting on one of tightest live stage shows of the 80's!

This album was Roger's chance to stretch out and show just how diverse his talents where

and it produced 3 of his most well-known hits:

His brilliant re-working of the Motown classic "I Heard It Through The Grapevine",

the bangin' funk classic "So Ruff, So Tuff", which has been sampled by so many hip-hoppers

that it's ridiculous, and then there's the jazzy funk of "Do It Roger, Do It!!" which was

a showcase for both his trademark vocoder singing style and his adept jazz & rhythm guitar work.

This album was in heavy rotation in urban clubs & house parties during the

late summer/early fall of 1981, and when "Grapevine" or "So Ruff, So Tuff" was played

at the skating rink, if you didn't know how to skate and dance good, it was time

to get the hell off the floor, because it was on!! (-:

This album, as well as the first two Zapp albums are true funk essentials

that have had far-reaching influence throughout hip-hop, and now today, with the advent

of "auto-tune", which recreates Roger's trademark vocal effect to a degree and gives

people who can't sing or either are mediocre singers, careers in show business!

But that's a whole other topic! (LOL!!)

Roger Troutman was not the first to use the vocoder effect, but he was the first

to feature it predominantly as a vocal style and not just an effect.

He and Zapp had their peak time from 1980 to about 1986, then they started to fade out

as tastes in music changed, etc., but Roger Troutman's stank-funky grooves, good time vibe,

electronic vocoder singing-style, and smooth classic slow jams like "Computer Love" and

"I Want To Be Your Man" had already made their impact on black music.

Teddy Riley and his groups GUY and BLACKSTREET, as well as THE WESTCOAST HIP HOP MOVEMENT

of the 90's and many others in the game, had all heard and held Roger Troutman in highest esteem!

Before his untimely and bizzare death in April 1999 at the hands of his older brother,

who then turned the gun on himself, Roger was experiencing a bit of a comeback and was

loving all the love he was getting back from the youngsters!

Sadly, he is now silenced forever, but his work will live on for all who care to listen to

hear and discover one of urban funk's unsung geniuses!

RIP ROGER & LARRY TROUTMAN

So sad the way Roger Troutman's life ended, along with his brother, Larry Troutman. Whatever was going on with them, i don't really know, but i wish they would have solved it in alot better way, than ending both of their lives, but their hits will live on and on !!

This CD is great from beginning to end including the unreleased song "Superman", but the song I thought that should have been a single is "Maxx Axe". It's a really long song,really good,and in my opinion definitley would have done great on the charts.

Midwest techno-funk at it's best! Every track can get your party or bedroom bumpin all night. Plus I've lost count of how many times this album has been sampled. Anyway, buy it and enjoy!