Home » Member Page

David Rozenblatt

David Rozenblatt’s talents have drawn him to all corners of the globe and all styles of music, performing in the world’s most revered concert halls as well as intimate nightclubs.

About Me

David has performed and collaborated with some of the finest talents in Pop, Jazz and Classical music, including Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Neil Diamond, John Legend, Usher, Baby Face, John Mayer, Reba McEntire, Bette Midler, Leon Russell, Alice Cooper, Ronnie Wood, The Killers, Dr. John, Darlene Love, Cindy Lauper, Donna Summer, Judy Collins, Micky Dolenz, David Foster, Lara Fabian, Katherine McPhee, Jennifer Hudson, Esperanza Spalding, The Ronettes, Paul Shaffer, Little Anthony, Bobby Womack, Ronnie Wood, Dave Koz, Joe Zawinul, Paquito DíRivera, Ornette Coleman, Pierre Boulez, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Vladimir Spivakov and Elliot Carter. David has performed at The Nobel Peace Prize Concert honoring Liu Xiaobo, The Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, Nassau Coliseum, the Meadowlands, Gund, Arena, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, Avery Fisher Hall, Japan’s Santori Hall, London’s Blenheim Palace, 02 Arena and the Barbican. On Television, David can be seen performing on The 22nd, 24th and 26th Annual Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame, The Emmy Awards, The American Music Awards, Late Show With David Letterman performing with The Killers, Darlene Love, Will Ferrell and for President Barack Obama, Jimmy Kimmel Live, A&E’s Live By Request, PBS’s Soundstage, Good Morning America, The Ellen Show, The Today Show, The Early Show, Martha Stewart, and on numerous BBC Television specials.

For almost a decade, David has been Barry Manilow’s percussionist, performing consistently to sold out Arenas across America and Europe. David can be heard on Barry’s latest albums, BARRY MANILOW with The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, The Greatest Songs of the 70’s, The Greatest Songs of the 80’s and four chart topping DVDs: Music and Passion (Platinum), First and Farewell, PBS’s Songs From The 70’s (Double Platinum) and A&E’s Happy Holidays. Barry’s album “In The Swing Of Christmas”, which went Gold in the US alone and was Grammy-nominated for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album”, features The Matt Herskowitz Trio, David's inspired collaboration with virtuoso pianist Matt Herskowitz, with whom David tours nationally and internationally. The trio's debut CD, Forget Me Not - Herskowitz Rozenblatt Project featuring Lew Soloff (Disques Tout Crin) was released to rave reviews and nominated for the Felix Award for “Best Jazz Album of the year”. The trio’s latest CD, Jerusalem Trilogy was just nominated for a Juno Award for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year”.

As drummer, producer and composer for the critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated and German Record Critics’ Award-winning Absolute Ensemble, David can be heard on the group’s 7 released CDs and served as producer on FIX (Enja Records). He can also be heard on the soundtrack recordings for the feature films The Chamber, Wide Awake, You've Got Mail, Swat, Perfume and The Marconi Bros. On Broadway, David has performed in Swan Lake, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Sunset Boulevard, The King and I, Miss Saigon, Aida, Jim Steinman’s Dance Of The Vampires featuring Michael Crawford, and Legally Blonde. He has performed with the Met Orchestra, NYC Opera and Ballet, St. Luke's Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, Jupiter Symphony, Concordia Orchestra, EOS, Moscow Chamber Symphony, the Moscow Virtuosi, and premiered Mark Anthony Turnage’s Blood On The Floor (originally written for Peter Erskine) as soloist with Australia’s Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

David’s original music composed for the ballet Three Point Turn, choreographed by the esteemed Dwight Rhoden for prima Ballerina Diana Vishneva, Desmond Richardson and members of the Kirov Ballet, premiered at New York City Center, The Orange County Performing Arts Center and the Stanislavsky Musical Theater in Moscow. Three Point Turn is part of the highly acclaimed Dance spectacle “Beauty In Motion” for which Vishneva won the 2009 Golden Mask Award for “Best Female Performer in Ballet or Modern Dance”. David's commission of Dwight Rhoden’s “Othello” for the North Carolina Dance Theater premiered in Charlotte, NC to rave reviews. His latest commission for Complexions Contemporary Ballet entitled Dirty Wire premiered in Seattle and had a critically-acclaimed two-week run at the Joyce Theater in New York City. All ballets are currently on tour.

David received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School where he became a founding member of the critically acclaimed New York Percussion Quartet. Born in the Ukraine, David moved to the United States at the age of four and one year later began playing drums professionally. He began his formal training at the Kaufman Cultural Center in New York City and, following graduation, was appointed to the faculty - a position he held for over ten years. David also devotes his time to recording and producing music from his recording studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz when I was 6 years old. At home, WBGO radio would be on religiously because all forms of Jazz were my dad's passion. We would play together almost everyday right up until the day I had to leave for Juilliard. My greatest influences were Justin Diccioccio, who led the LaGuardia School for the Performing Arts Jazz Band. Justine had me LISTEN to many of the great Jazz musicians. Al Harewood who would make me play quarter notes on the ride cymbal non stop for every single lesson and just comment on the placement and feel. When I was 15 years old Wynton Marsalis, after hearing me play those same quarter notes on a blues said that I can swing, giving me the confidence to pursue the art of Jazz further. On tour with Joe Zawinul and the Absolute Ensemble, Joe told me that my problem is, "you don't know how to play the snare drum and it's not cranked high enough, LISTEN TO ERSKINE".