The Rogues are carving out a unique niche in local entertainment. Why not make them a part of your experience Included among the songs are those which invite listening (instrumential), clapping and foot tapping or singing along with a solo or harmonic melody. Others may invoke a melancholy mood. Among the titles will be found Rosin the Bow,Lizzie Lindsay,The Mermaid,All for ME Grog,Maid of Amsterdam,Star of the County Down,The Parting Glass,Rattlin Bog,Boston Harbor Shanty,plus Captain Kidd,The Road to Boston,Three Jolly Coachmen,Boys from Blue Hill,Harvest Home,Irish Rover and Greenland Whale Fishery.

FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE!!!

Band taking act across the pond By Christine McConville, Globe Staff, 2/26/2004 MTV may not be calling, but that doesn't matter to members of the local band the Jolly Rogues, as they prepare for their first international tour. For 10 days this summer, the band's four members, from Wilmington, Concord, Reading, and Westford, will be performing before dancing crowds in England. Just don't expect to find the group and its followers cavorting at trendy hot spots in London after the shows. This band specializes in tavern tunes and sea ditties from America's Colonial days. 'It's going to be great,' said Jim Murray, 56, who plays guitar and mandolin for the Rogues, when he's not at work at an insurance company in Wilmington. The rest of the group includes Mike Ryan of Concord on Native American and Irish hand drums; Paul Harty of Reading on fiddle, wind instruments, and mandolin; and Alan Hicks of Westford on guitar. For concerts, they dress in period clothing, and Ryan, who specializes in Revolutionary era history, usually offers a brief history lesson before each song. For the past year and a half, the group has performed to growing local crowds, while attracting fans overseas. Thanks to the Internet, their songs were discovered by disc jockeys in Germany,England,China and the Netherlands. The British Broadcasting Corp. has even interviewed the band. 'It's bouncy music, and people over there like that,' Murray said. This summer, the group will perform a concert on a field in Tewkesbury, England, where in 1471 a pivotal battle in the War of the Roses was fought. That field now is slated for development, and the Rogues are paying their own way over there to help the preservation cause. While in the United Kingdom, the group plans to perform in Billericay, England, a small village that is the namesake for Billerica, Mass. 'We're more popular than the Beatles,' Murray joked. The group met when they were working as volunteers at the Minute Man National Historical Park, which memorializes key battlefields in the Revolutionary War. In late 2002, as park volunteers and staff were trying to figure out new ways to spread the joys of history, someone mentioned music. 'Music was important in that time period,' said Ryan, who performs with the Rogues when he's not working as an associate dean for student development at Boston College.

From by Catherine L. Tully

Artist: Jolly Rogues Album: "Captain Billy's Privateers" Year produced: 2004

Hailing from Massachusetts--a place itself steeped in history--the Jolly Rogues are themselves an "auditory flashback" to the music of the 18th and 19th century. On this CD, Captain Billy's Privateers, they go from one great sea shanty to another, and truth be told, there is quite a bit of a nautical flair going on here--which is already reflected in the title of the CD, so it shouldn't really be a surprise!

You can tell that these gentlemen are into history, and you don't need to look too far for an affirmation of that fact--they are members of The Guild of Historic Interpreters. They stay pretty true to olde times as well, and if you see them perform you'll probably find them dressing in three-cornered hats and knickers and using traditional instruments.

My personal favorite is track 9, "I'm A Rover Seldom Sober." It's one of those tunes that makes you sway with it and join in singing--Rover or not--you'll jump on the bandwagon for this track. There is a good selection of seafaring songs here, and it is nearly all light-hearted and pleasant--good mood music to be sure. Fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!

Reviewer: N.Ellen Hi there, I have orderd many CD's from other country's and from many choirs. But I never recieved a CD so quickly. From USA to Holland in 3 days? Fantastic! I'm gonna use the CD in my radioprogramm. Thanks guys and a lot of singing pleasure. Noud Ellen,Holland Fantastic!!!!

Reviewer:Music Forte Here is a very talented group of Musicians who are carving out a unique niche in local musical entertainment. The Rogues appear attired in either 18th or 19th Century clothing or a combination of the two periods, adding to the color and charm of the performance. Listen to ?Lark in the Clear Air?

Reviewer: Ted Busiek Dear Mr. Murray,

I'm writing regarding your band, The Jolly Rogues. I got your most recent CD, 14 Miles to Boston, and I really like what you guys are doing. My favorite tracks are Soldier's Joy / Liberty, Bonnie Charlie, Hal An Tow and The Fox. From the looks of your website you guys are a lot more popular than I realised, which is good because New England needs a cultural revival band. The Maritimes have Stan Rogers. The Brittish Isles have more than I would list, most notably Steeleye Span. Why shouldn't this area have a popular folk band? Folkmagazin

I'm webmaster of the German folk-portal site folkig.de and I write reviews for the German printmagazine "Folkmagazin",which goes to 2000-2500 subscribers.The review that?s in the Folkmagazin.

"The american band The Jolly Rogues are one of these bands which are probably totally unknown in Germany. That?s a pity, because the band shows on ?14 Miles To Boston? much enthusiasm and filigree instrument play on irish ballads and groovy instrumentals. An album with seriousness, much fun and a successful mix of irish-american folk-tradition." Thomas Engert