Chris DeRosa
Chris DeRosa | |
|---|---|
| Born | New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, fusion, rock, funk, reggae, pop, soca |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer, composer, producer |
| Instruments | Drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Associated acts | Nadia Ali, Deborah Harry, Rick Ross, Raul Midon, Melba Moore, CeeLo Green, Michael McDonald, H.R. (of Bad Brains) |
| Website | chrisderosa.com |
Chris DeRosa is an American drummer, composer, and producer based in New York City. Active since the 1980s, he has performed internationally across jazz, rock, fusion, and related genres, working with artists such as Nadia Ali, Deborah Harry, Rick Ross, Raul Midon, Melba Moore, CeeLo Green, Michael McDonald, and H.R. of Bad Brains. His work has been covered in publications including Modern Drummer, DRUM! Magazine, China Daily, and The New York Times.
Early life and education
DeRosa was born in New Haven, Connecticut and raised in Guilford. He began playing drums as a teenager and attended the Educational Center for the Arts (ACES) high school. During this time, he studied privately with jazz drummer Ed Soph.[1]
He later studied at the Berklee College of Music, where he received the Buddy Rich Jazz Masters Scholarship, and the University of Miami, earning a degree in Studio Music and Jazz Performance through the Bowman Ashe scholarship.
Career
DeRosa began his professional drumming career in Connecticut before relocating to New York City. His playing spans multiple genres, including jazz, fusion, funk, reggae, and rock.
In 2011, DeRosa and his ensemble Monkfish toured Egypt under a U.S. cultural diplomacy initiative, conducting workshops in schools and hospitals and performing live on regional television and radio.[1]
In 2007, *DRUM!* Magazine featured DeRosa’s Armed Forces Entertainment tour in the Middle East.[2]
That same year, *Modern Drummer* showcased DeRosa’s “Drums for Dancers” setup in its Kit of the Month column.[3]
DeRosa’s performances have also been mentioned in major media. The New York Times reviewed a performance involving DeRosa in a dance production, noting the musical accompaniment’s contribution to the show’s energy.[4]
Additionally, a 2007 China Daily article highlighted DeRosa’s international performances and collaborations.[5]
His drumming has appeared on television and film soundtracks, including recordings for 30 Rock featuring performances by CeeLo Green and Michael McDonald.[6][7]
Writing and education
DeRosa has written for *Hudson Music* and *The Black Page Drum Magazine* on performance and musician health topics.[8][9]
As an educator, DeRosa has taught privately and in workshops, emphasizing technique, creativity, and physical well-being for drummers. He has lectured at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Dance Department and taught at Marymount Manhattan College in a course he designed, “Music Training for Dance.”[10]
Discography (selected)
- Aquaman Jones - "Spatial Funk”
- Benny Del Mare - "Menage A Te"
- Chris DeRosa - "Live In Miami”
- Chris DeRosa - "ism"
- Chris DeRosa - "Inner Voicings"
- Chris DeRosa - "Broadway Jam"
- Chris DeRosa - "With Hand And Tongue"
- Chris DeRosa - “Shadows"
- Chris DeRosa - "Photographs"
- Chris DeRosa - "Photographs"
- d'atlee - "d'atlee"
- E-Trance - "E-Trance"
- FlyinFisch - “Always Dreaming"
- Jed Davis - "The Cutting Room Floor"
- Jed Davis - "Line In The Dirt"
- Jefferson Thomas - "Barbarian's Ballroom"
- Jefferson Thomas - "Heavy Rotation"
- Mike Power - "Observations"
- Renee Ruth - "HyperBlue"
- Renee Ruth - "Spirals"
- Roland Ruby - "Damn You Roland Ruby!"
- Tom Humbert - "Closer To The Heart Of God"
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Chris DeRosa's Monkfish in Egypt". Modern Drummer. January 2012. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ "Single Strokes: Chris DeRosa slamming for our boys in the Mid-East". DRUM!. San Jose, California: Enter Music Publishing. May 2007. p. 24.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "Drums for Dancers". Modern Drummer. Modern Drummer Publications Inc. April 2007. p. 192.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ "In Performance/Dance: A Newport Staple Appears in New York". The New York Times. May 11, 2002. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ↑ "City Life: Chris DeRosa performance". China Daily. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ "30 Rock – CeeLo's "B.J. and the Bear"". NBC. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ "30 Rock – Michael McDonald's "Saved by the Bell"". NBC. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ Chris DeRosa. "Drumming and Spinal Health". Hudson Music. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ Chris DeRosa. "Taking Care of Yourself" (PDF). The Black Page Drum Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help) - ↑ "Chris DeRosa resume". ChrisDeRosa.com. Retrieved 2025-10-16. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help);|archive-url=is malformed: timestamp (help)
External links
- Official website
- Modern Drummer – “Chris DeRosa’s Monkfish in Egypt”
- The New York Times – “In Performance/Dance” review
- China Daily – City Life 2007
- All About Jazz – Musician profile
- SoundBetter – Profile/interview
- Hudson Music – “Drumming and Spinal Health”
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