With personal roots in the 1960s folk music scene, this talented, rollicking, carefree quartet brings a wealth of experience to their craft and performance. Founded about a year ago by manager Jim Murray of Wilmington, MA (vocals, mandolin, guitar), "The Rogues" early seeds fermented in such local colonial music groups as "The Barking Spiders", "The Guild of Historic Interpreters Music" and "The Hartwell Players". These latter two organizations were spawned and exhibited within Concord's Minute Man National Historical Park for the purposes of entertaining the visiting public and interpreting the musical life of 18th and 19th Century Massachusetts. Performance venues included Old North Bridge, The Old manse, The Wayside, The Hartwell Tavern and the Park's two Visitors' Centers.

Murray and close musical friend Al Hicks of Westford, MA (vocals, guitar) are augmented by Concordian, historian and volunteer National Park interpreter Mike Ryan (percussionist on hand drums) who brought educational, historical commentary to the music and bombastically MCs the performances. The final piece of fabric was Paul Harty of Reading, MA (vocals, fiddle, string and wind instruments), creating "The Jolly Rogues", their name taken from a colonial tune. To heighten the historical and cultural significance of their performances, the group decided to always appear in the 18th or 19th Century period clothes appropriate to the music being played.

While mid-18th Century popular and tavern music are the group's signature sound with roots in England, Ireland and Scotland, "The Rogues" also present tunes of the 1800s. However, " Road to Boston" CD features a potpourri of colonial ballads ("Star of the County Down"), romantic melodies ("Lizzie Lindsay"), hornpipe ditties ("Harvest Home"), sea shanties ("The Mermaid"), drinking songs ("Three Jolly Coachmen") and nonsensical, fun tunes ("All For Me Grog") -- each appealing to a different human emotion in young and old alike. Group members swear that even toddlers have drooled, smiled, bounced and hiccuped to the Rogues!

The Rogues' success has led to their music receiving play on radio stations in The Netherlands and Berlin, Germany, in addition to bookings at the New England Folk Festival (26 April, Natick, MA), The Boston Seaport Festival (31 May, Charlestown Navy Yard), The Old South Meeting House (3 July, Boston) and the New Bedford (MA) Whaling Museum (24 July). (Note: Order " Road to Boston" here. For a performance schedule, go here.)

Photos: Courtesy of The Jolly Rogues
Backgrounds: Word of Mouth Graphics.