Roland & Soul Endeavor played a two hour set to a packed house and was met with a wonderfully enthusiastic response and was brought back for four encores. Had a great time and the band would like to extend a huge thank you to their hosts, Jean Colbert, Pascal Defrance,  Patrick Vanspeybrock with his wife Claudine, and Dominique Bouffart, and Celine for having us, all their help, great food & drink and for being great people.

Special thanks go to Tom Maloney, who filled in at the last minute for Gus Thornton, who was unable to make the trip due to prior obligations. Tom did an impeccable job.

Check out the pics on the Photos page.

While working on their debut CD (yet untitled) of original material, the band decided to do a "quick and dirty" release of cover material to share with their friends in France when they go overseas in late January. It's called "Raw Classics" and was recorded "live in the studio" which means minimal takes, overdubs and editing to achieve a live feel similar to that of a live performance but with studio quality sound. They'll have it available back home when they return as well. - Check this site for details

Roland and the band have been invited to Lille France to play the 7 nights to Blues Festival on January 30 '08.
The venue is:
Salle André Wauquier, 65 rue du Général Leclerc,
59 350 SAINT ANDRE LEZ LILLE, France

Thanks to the RFT for the award and recognition


Best R&B Artist (2007)
Roland Johnson Soul Endeavor
www.mightybigband.com
The minute Roland Johnson walks onstage for his semi-regular gig at Beale on Broadway, you know you're seeing a performer. The man drips charisma — all the way through his white leisure suit and down to his polished shoes. He can do the James Brown, the Sam & Dave, the Bobby "Blue" Bland, the Otis Redding, and he does them all, no matter how familiar, no matter how many times he's sung them, like the joint is on fire and his lungs are filled with kerosene. He's a growler, a belter, but cool enough to keep his musicians, featuring veterans of the Mighty Big Band, from jamming off their charts. A lot of bands in St. Louis play the Stax/Volt and Motown hits. None drives them home like Roland Johnson and Co.