fete de la musique 2009

German singer/songwriter and guitarist Rodger Christmann plays soulful acoustic rock and pop that bears the hallmarks of Bread, Clapton and Paul Young.

Christmann’s approach is contemporary, but his musical roots reach back to the 1960s, when he was influenced by blues artists such as Muddy Waters, BB King, and Eric Clapton, as well as pop artists that included The Beatles, Moody Blues, John Martyn, Chris Rea, Cat Stevens, and Joni Mitchell. These influences contributed to his style of strong traditional songwriting and his current repertoire, which includes soulful and emotional acoustic pop and rock arrangements that cover a wide range, from slow and heartfelt ballads to rhythmic upbeat grooves—but his music is never mainstream and trendy, and his blues roots are evident in his music, his harmonies, and sound. His delivery is personal and never sounds manufactured. Rodger Christmann has been performing since the early 1990s with his musical partner Rick Kus, a Polish native, who performs on keyboard and accordion.