Education
College of Lake County (associate degree with honors)
Columbia College (bachelor’s degree with honors)
Classes Taught
Introduction to Music Business
Artist Management in Commercial Music
Performing Arts Management Practicum
About
Roger Jansen's journey in the music industry began in the 1990s when he owned and operated one of Chicago’s premier live music venues: Avalon Nite Club. This iconic venue hosted legendary acts such as Stone Temple Pilots, Hole, Tool, White Zombie, Sir Mix-a-Lot, De La Soul, Crash Test Dummies, and EMF, making it a cornerstone of the city's vibrant music scene.
In 1997, Roger founded KMA Enterprises, Inc., an artist management company that quickly became a recognized force in the Midwest. He also launched MOBfest (Music Over Business Festival), Chicago’s most successful music industry conference, which ran for 15 years. MOBfest was a melting pot of talent and industry executives, featuring artist showcases at the city's top venues and music industry panels hosted by Live Nation’s House of Blues. These panels included A&R representatives from Los Angeles and New York, along with senior executives from every major record label. The festival was instrumental in spotlighting future stars like The Killers, Kill Hannah, and Disturbed, as well as established artists such as Anna Nalick and Fountains of Wayne.
Roger was hired as the Midwest regional A&R representative for Warner Bros. Records, where he scouted talent while continuing to grow his company and reputation. His expertise was further recognized when he joined the launch team for Red Bull Records as part of their A&R division. Later, he was hired by executives from The Voice to consult on regional talent scouting and set up private auditions for the show’s producers.
Over the years, Roger has secured multiple major record label and publishing deals for the artists he manages, including Disturbed (Reprise), Riddlin' Kids (Columbia), Dovetail Joint (Columbia), From Zero (Arista), and more recently, LETDOWN (Big Loud/Universal) and glam rocker Gyasi (Alive/Redeye). His company has since expanded into talent buying, event production, and marketing consulting.