I was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1967. My family settled in suburban New Jersey when I was 7 years old, and I began playing the harmonica shortly after that. I found that I could easily pick out melodies like "Oh Susannah" by ear. At age 9 my dad bought me a guitar, and I began to play what my dad was into: songs by The Weavers, The Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, Harry Chapin, and Gordon Lightfoot.

By then, it was the mid 1970's, and music radio was big in New York City. I picked up on disco and pop music on WABC (770 AM) and began to develop an ear for songwriting. In that era, people were not afraid to use major seventh chords, and if you heard strings in an arrangement, you could pretty much guarantee that a real bow was involved. Artists like Al Stewart, Ambrosia, Earth Wind & Fire, Gerry Rafferty, and The Little River Band filled the airwaves, and I loved the melodicism of their songs. Still, I did not make the connection that I could play this music on my guitar.

In about 1981 my taste in rock music got a lot edgier. I made several key album purchases that expanded my ear and got me started on the path of learning parts off records (yes, LP's!). Chief among those were Rush Exit Stage Left, Foreigner 4, Journey Escape, Boston's first album, Pink Floyd The Wall, Van Halen Fair Warning, and Def Leppard High and Dry. Needless to say, in listening to these albums, I discovered the heart and soul of rock guitar: loud, crushing distortion! Hmmm, that acoustic guitar wasn't looking so appealing any more.

And so my first electric guitar was purchased, at a record store no less. I had no clue about such things, but my mother honored my request to buy a red Hondo Flying Vee copy. For those readers who are not familiar with guitars, that is an unmitigated piece of junk. But I learned that this was the sound that I wanted to hear when I played, and I copped my first 'licks' on this so-called instrument. By now, I was in high school and exposed to lots of music, the selection of which was crucial to appearing 'cool' in the eyes of my supposed peers. And hard rock was definitely 'cool'.

But then came the 80's, a channel called MTV, and a form of music called New Wave. And it too was cool! The hairstyles changed, keyboards were everywhere, and guitar became a much more textural element in the music. While still heavily into my Rush phase (I learned every single song from their catalog at the time), my ear was drawn to the melodic synth-driven bands of the day. In 1983, two pivotal things happened. My crappy Hondo was replaced with a 'real' guitar (an Ibanez Artist semi-hollowbody), and I hooked up with some kindred spirits and joined a band. That changed everything.

My high school band, Impression, played its first "Pop Show" in 1984. We covered two Rush songs: The Spirit of Radio and Vital Signs. I had learned to play bass because there was another guitarist in the band. We both doubled on the two instruments, so I played guitar on one tune and bass on the other in that brief performance. And, unbelievably, I was the lead singer too. Now, this would never happen today. However, back then my voice was a high tenor and I could pull off the ridiculously high Geddy Lee vocal lines. Over the next 2 years, we jammed (mostly) and performed. In 1986, the summer after my freshman year in college, we played our final gig at a July 4th town picnic. During this period, I learned to love more progressive music, such as Yes - and finally discovered the key to it all: Jazz.

Turns out my bandmates were more 'serious' musicians than the average high school hack. Both went on to music school to study jazz. In high school, they were just getting started. But the seed was planted and I began to develop a love for more challenging music. I also joined the high school pop choir, which reinforced my awareness of harmony beyond the seventh chord. Al DiMeola, Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau, Spyro Gyra (before the genre "Smooth Jazz" existed), Steps Ahead, and Chick Corea's Return to Forever dominated my listening.

And then, as I awaited college in the summer of 1985, a profound discovery befell me: A 4-track cassette recorder. That single piece of modest equipment changed me from a player into a writer. My first 'songs' were far from polished, but the idea that I could combine different parts to craft a layered composition was profound. That summer, I borrowed a friend's keyboard and set of electronic drums (the 80's!), and recorded a bunch of stuff. Then, I packed up for college with my guitar and amp in tow.

I majored in Music and Computer Science at Connecticut College in New London, CT, and graduated with a BA in 1989. During my time there, I played in several bands on both bass and guitar. The most important one was Crosstalk, with Dutch songwriter Henrik Takkenberg, drummer Joe Shepley, and bassist Andy Karp. This was a group that really had potential, with wonderful and interesting original songs, mostly penned by Takkenberg. As an arranger he had relatively simple taste, and this is where I shined. I developed a style of playing based on elements of funk rhythm, New Wave texture, and jazz harmony that I retain to this day. Crosstalk eventually played some gigs in New York City's Greenwich Village - at the Bitter End and Kenny's Castaways. But in 1990, I was firmly on track for a 'real' job, and the group dissolved. This became one of the most haunting "What If" decisions of my life. My own versions of several Crosstalk songs appear on my CDs: Hand in Hand, Alive and Alone, Sweeping Blade, Each Expression, and Blind Angels.

I also wrote and recorded a bunch of my own songs in college. Some of these were eventually re-recorded and included on my CDs, such as Surface Depth, Sweeping Blade, and Chasing The Future. My study of music included exposure to the avant garde: Atonality, musique concrète, electronic music, and other oddities, in addition to the standard Bach and Mozart. Connecticut College did not have a jazz program, which frustrated me as that was my true interest. But I made the best of the available curriculum and was awarded the College's Lavinnia Hull Smith prize for music composition, as well as graduating with distinction in my major field. In the summer of 1989 I began my life as a software engineer, first working in Connecticut, and later in New Jersey. My musical life was temporarily on hold as I got my feet wet in the waters of independent life.

In 1991 I began to write and record again, this time fueled by the surprising purchasing power of my rather modest salary. I bought an 8-track reel to reel recorder, my first new guitar in years (a Fender Strat Plus), and a bunch of other toys that helped me increase the sophistication and quality of my recordings. The tunes Suspended Animation and October Rendezvous (from The Happiness Of Pursuit) were recorded during this time. Other songs from this period that haven't made it to an official CD release were Each Passing Day, Ritual of Renewal, and Más Cercano.

1991 also marked the beginning of an unrelenting obsession with guitars. This has been both a blessing and a curse! Players even joke and give this 'disease' a name - G.A.S., or Guitar Acquisition Syndrome. I have owned nearly 30 guitars in the ensuing 13 years. For some reason, I never thought to do this until I finally had my own income to play with. Owning a lot of instruments is a wonderful thing, but it can too easily distract you from the substance of your music. I sometimes flirt with the idea of selling all but 2 or 3 of them, but that quickly fades. However, focusing on what counts - creativity - is a constant struggle.

During the early 1990s, I focused on writing and recording. I bought a house in 1994, which meant a lack of shared walls - and a chance to turn up the volume. A year later, I was presented with a drumset for my 28th birthday and finally, after 15 years of banging on everything that would produce a percussive sound, I had the real thing. I could finally add real, organic drum tracks to my recordings. That year, I reunited with two of my high school friends, Brett Heinz and Steve Collins, in an improvisational trio that we called Helun. These jams were recorded live to DAT, and I later would produce an 11 CD set of music from the sessions. Much of it is truly a great listen - and all of it was done spontaneously. Musicians who are comfortable with that format are a rare find indeed.

Finally, it all came together for me - the material, the money, and the motivation - and in 1997 I released my first album on CD, The Happiness Of Pursuit. This had really been a 12 year dream in the making. The album is comprised mostly of instrumental, jazzy, moody music that touches on several genre boundaries. The title is a play on words reflecting the fact that, in order to be worthwhile, any artistic effort must be a reward in itself. THOP can be purchased on RogerPlacer.com.

My first child was born in 1998, and with that the music again assumed a smaller role in my daily life. This lull was to last two years, during which time I began working (slowly) on new material. The next album was to be named Solo Archipelago, a name I came up with fairly early in the process. SA touches on the themes of creative expression, solitude, and survival. The title suggests a mythical geographic location (an archipelago is a group of islands), and is representative of the island that is one's own self. I worked on the material for SA for six years, which is a very long time. There were a few distractions. I had the dismal experience of my first marriage ending, and the joyous experience of meeting my soulmate Rebecca, who would become my wife in 2002. And so in October of 2003, Solo Archipelago was finally released. My second (human) child would be born only 5 months later!

Today, my earlier musical influences are permanently embedded in my soul, but I have broadened my listening horizons considerably. I am interested in the many textures of so-called ambient music, such as downtempo and smooth electronica. I have absorbed a lot of Brazilian styles; not only bossa nova but also traditional samba, tropicalism, and MPB. There is Indian music, both classical and fusion with electronica. And I remain continually inspired by traditional jazz and the contemporary players who carry its multi-headed torch, especially 'cool' and soul or groove-infused styles. The more you love music, the more music you love!

Roger lives in northern New Jersey with his wife and three daughters.