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Chris DeRosa

Chris DeRosa is a Professional Freelance Drummer/Producer/Composer who currently lives in New York City, although his experience has taken him to many parts of the world (over 50 countries). Chris was born in New Haven, Connecticut but later moved to nearby Guilford where he took up the drums. At a very young age Chris was mesmerized by the sounds of the ecm record label he would hear pouring out of his radio on WPKN’s late night Jazz program. He was fortunate enough to get a scholarship to attend the Educational Center For The Arts (ECA) High School and at 16 studied with NTSU famed Drum set Professor Ed Soph while on sabbatical in Connecticut.

By Chris’ senior year in High School he was playing and performing with The Five Satins with whom he opened up for Chuck Berry at the Nassau Coliseum (at 18 years of age). Prior to that his 1st steady professional gig was with a local New Haven, Connecticut top 40 band called Horizon at 15 years of age. Chris’ 1st professional recording session was with the Neapolitan singer Benny Del Mare for the album “Ménage A Te” recorded @Trod Nossel studio in Hamden, Connecticut. This recording led to Chris performing at many concerts and outdoor festivals throughout the Connecticut region with L’anima Benny’s backup band.

As a well-versed Seasoned Drummer Chris studied at both The Berklee College of Music where he received the prestigious Buddy Rich Jazz Masters scholarship and at the University Of Miami where he was the recipient of the Bowman Ashe scholarship for artistic and academic achievement. There he also received his Studio Music/Jazz Performance degree. While in Miami Chris was further influenced by the rhythms of both Jamaica and Cuba that continued to shape his sound and style.

Chris’ resume reads like a who’s who in music and has played/recorded with the likes of Deborah Harry and Chris Stein (Blondie), Skinner Box, Nadia Ali, H.R. (of Bad Brains), Rick Ross, Motorbaby, Masspike Miles, Melba Moore, Phil Perry, The Deep Down, The Congregation Of Vapors, Kim Fahy (The Mabuses), ECA Jazz Ensemble, The Turn, Nate Ouderkirk, E-trance, Ben Stivers (MatchBox 20), Jonathan and Victor (Camper Van Beethoven), Nori Nori, Tony Scherr (Norah Jones, Al DiMeola), Fluffer, Laura Dawn (Moby), Peninsulin, Yoshiaki Masuo (Sonny Rollins, Jack Dejohnette), Jon Cowherd, Leo Traversa, Vibrolush, Jefferson Thomas, Ariya, Paul Mark & The Van Dorens, Magnet (Replacing Moe Tucker of the Velvet Underground), The Five Satins, Jed Davis, Jesse Malin, FlyinFisch, Air-O-Sol, Matt Bonelli (BeeGee's), Collider, Ivan Julian (The Voidoids, Matthew Sweet), Mark White (The Spin Doctors), Yale University Big Band, Ron Dziubla (Ricky Martin, Chayanne), Willie Ruff, Bill Brown Quartet, Jeff Baker (a.k.a King Django), Matthew Brubeck, Chris DeRosa Group, Monkfish

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Tags

Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Clinic/Workshop Information

If you want to learn how to play drums or just improve your drumming in general then I can help! I will tailor each one-hour lesson at my Manhattan studio to exactly the areas you want to develop. I have more then 20 years of private teaching experience as well as teaching at such universities as Marymount Manhattan College, The NYACK School of Music, and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. My rates are very reasonable. I play and teach all styles of drumming including Gospel, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Latin, Afro-Cuban, Pop, Punk, Brazilian, Samba, Bossa Nova, Funk, Hip Hop, Soul, Neo-Soul, R&B, Blues, Reggae, Dance Hall, One Drop, Rock Steady, Ska, Mento, Soca and Solo Drumming Among Others

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