Album Notes

Pittsburgh has a reputation as being a hard-working town, and in the music business, no one reflects that as much as drummer Roger Humphries.

Rather than trying to capture an audience by playing trendy hip-hop numbers, the RH Factor is an honest group that never stops working when it is on stage. The band will play a number like Horace Silver’s “Nutville” which you’ll hear on this album “This-N-That” and the musicians will be riveted with attention as they listen to each other’s solos. They want to get a good sense of the direction the band is going at that particular gig, and hence, there is no fooling around. You can get a sense of that attitude on this album – listen to Tony Campbell’s alto on “Artistic,” for instance and you can get a better sense of that by seeing the band regularly.

The album reflects the band’s attitude, but it also gives them a place to show off their compositions. Trumpeter Delano “Volcano” Choy, tenor man Don Aliquo Jr., bassist Dwayne Dolphin, altoist Campbell and Humphries himself all offer originals.

The recording, like the band, reflect the history of a man who at age 15 did a show with saxman Illinois Jacquet at Pittsburgh’s Crawford Grill. He then went on to work with organist Shirley Scott and tenor Stanley Turrentine. He also has played with pianist Horace Silver, organist Richard “Groove” Holmes, and the legendary band leader Ray Charles.

Pittsburgh’s music fans got lucky when he decided he was tired of the road life with people like that and wanted to return home to his wife Regina, their three daughters and one son.

“I’m not looking for that big jackpot,” he said. “I would rather see myself just being comfortable with me and my family.”

That meant his rock-solid power on the drums would be heard around Pittsburgh, leading his own groups and doing jobs with people like guitarist Jimmy Ponder.

Featured Artist on CD:

Roger Humphries, Sr.: Drums
Dwayne Dolphin: Bass
Donna Davis: Piano
Delano "Volcano" Choy, Jr.: Trumpet
Tony Campbell: Alto Sax
Don Aliquo, Jr.: Tenor Sax
Sonny Barbato: Piano on Lava Flow, R.H. and This-N-That

for more information, please log onto:
http://www.rogerlhumphries.com