Roger Spencer

Originally from Terre Haute, Indiana, Roger Spencer has built an extensive and distinguished musical career spanning decades. He has performed, traveled, and recorded with legendary artists including Les Brown and His Band of Renown, Harry James, Rosemary Clooney, Sam Butera, Tony Bennett, Ray Conniff, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, and Carl Fontana.

Roger earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Indiana State University and studied Jazz Studies under the renowned David Baker at Indiana University. In 1988, he and his wife, jazz pianist Lori Mechem, relocated from Los Angeles to Nashville, where he continues to record, perform, and teach.

Throughout his Nashville career, Roger has been a driving force in the city's jazz scene. As bassist for the acclaimed Beegie Adair Trio for over 30 years, Roger recorded more than 35 projects with the group. These recordings became iconic and led the trio to perform at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Birdland, Steinway Galleries across the United States, Cotton Club in Tokyo, and Pizza Express in London.

In 1998, Roger and his wife Lori opened Nashville's first jazz school, the Nashville Jazz Workshop. As co-founder and Artistic Director for 27 years, Roger dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of jazz musicians and fostering the local jazz community. Through the Workshop, they mentored countless up-and-coming students, helping them get their start in the business and contributing to broadening Nashville's Music City reputation beyond its country music roots.

Roger's commitment to jazz education extended beyond the Workshop through his 21-year tenure on the faculty at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music. There, he taught theory and improvisation, provided private bass instruction, and led numerous combos, further cementing his role as a cornerstone of Nashville's jazz education community.

Roger continues to perform and record with Lori while maintaining his commitment to jazz education and performance in Nashville.