Rogue Johnsen Project – Next / The Same
Independent
7 tracks – 27 minutes / 10 tracks – 33 minutes
Rogue Jonsen learned to play the keyboards from Charles Brown. He toured nationally with Archie Bell and The Drells, W.C. Clark and Lavelle White, played professionally with Bo Diddley and Catfish Hunter, and recorded with Clark on his Heart of Gold album. In 2016, he released two albums that he recorded as a solo effort plus one additional album, Way Back that he recorded as the Rogue Johnsen Project. The Project released a fourth album, Home, in 2024. Now that group released an EP, Next” in February 2026 with seven songs. Rogue followed that release with a full album, The same, with ten songs six weeks later. Both are being reviewed here.
Next features Rogue Johnsen on keyboards and keyboard bass. He is accompanied by Mike Dutton on guitar and Joe Wells on drums on a solely instrumental album reminiscent of Booker T. and The MG’s. The album opens with the funky “Chicken Feet” with Mike’s guitar expanding the sound behind Rogue’s organ. “Sunday Papers” is a slow laidback cruise along a lazy day perhaps relaxing while reading the newspaper. “Baby Girl” is a feel good, smooth appreciation presumably of his daughter.
“Sour Grapes” definitely touches on Booker T. in a mid-Tempo song not too far stretched from Booker’s “Green Onion’s”. He has a quiet “Midnight Prayer” before coming back to life with a “Lo-Fi Funk”. The album closes with the jazzy “Cool Papa”.
With “The Same”, Rogue adds vocals to the mix while playing keyboards, keyboard bass, bass guitar, lap steel guitar, harmonica, drums and percussion. Mike Dutton plays guitar on the final track; Fred Gray is on drums on tracks 1,5,8 & 9 with congas on track 5; Lance Foster plays drums on track 3 and 10, and Ernestine Chambers plays the cowbell on track 5.
“The Same” title track opens the album as he tells her that he shares the same feelings as she does, noting “I never met another that affects me like you do, and if you wondered, baby, you got more to fear from you than you do from me. And I’d hoped you feel the same way too.” The song features his piano and slide guitar. “Rathskeller” is a smoky, piano driven song as he cites “Save that wine, some other time, I’m going downstairs. Me and most folks get along, but right now I don’t care. Set me up with top shelf bourbon. Don’t ask me what I’m thinking.” On “Twilight” he states, “Sitting there thinking about my used-to- be’s, and how they all started as make-believes.” “So don’t start thinking about your might-have-beens cause that’ll make you think you just can’t win.” His piano and organ both play into the music.
He tells her “It Doesn’t Really Matter” if we disagree. It doesn’t really matter how that makes me feel. All that really matters is you’re living the good life.” On “That” a jazzy piano with congas accompanies his statement “That thing she’s got sits on my mind”. “I’ve only always dreamed you’d ever come around”. He then tells her “Every time I look at you, I understand how very near and far you are; how small I am. “They Don’t Know”, like I know”.
“Hide in The Hills” again features his organ and piano with some harmonica thrown in an instrumental only song. In a slightly raucous song featuring his slide guitar “Well, baby “With You Gone”, you’re gonna be on my mind. When you’re leaving out that door why’s it always seems so forevermore.” On “Here in This World” he cries amidst some jazzy piano, “Baby I tried to reach you. You wouldn’t even answer my calls. That’s after you said I should get through to you even if I had to crawl”. He ends the album with “Thunder and Rain (Heartache and Pain)”. “When you’re lost and you’re caught in the storm. “I’m right here, just find a way to my door.” “This Heartache and pain, it’s like thunder and rain. Make your way to my door and it all goes away.”
Rogue’s vocals are a unique weary growl set in a theme of lost love and hopes for a recovery. While not a direct comparison, Tom Wait’s vocals come to mind for a relevant similarity. His instrumentals are strong and he clearly shows a capability on all the instruments on the album, but his piano and organ are still at the front of his music.
