Be A Maverick. The University of Texas at Arlington
Born to drum
Adonis Rose relocated from New Orleans to Arlington following Hurricane Katrina. The Crescent City’s loss has become UT Arlington’s gain.
A visiting professor of music, the renowned jazz drummer has played with some of the world’s most esteemed jazz artists, from nine-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis to three-time Grammy-winning entertainer Harry Connick Jr.
Rose recently created and played the drum arrangement for Spike Lee’s HBO documentary, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.
Rose didn’t become a drummer by accident. His father and grandfather were both drummers, and his dad gave Adonis his first drum set when he was 2 years old.
“My father was instructed by his dad to have me play the drums,” he explained. “After seeing something I did, my grandfather told my father, ‘That boy is a drummer!’ So, I started learning my snare drum rudiments at age 2.”
Growing up in New Orleans, Rose was surrounded by music and was influenced by Marsalis, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin and Earth, Wind and Fire, along with several New Orleans musicians.
“These and many others influenced not only myself, but all of the young musicians I grew up with,” he said.
He started touring at age 17 and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He has toured with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Aaron Neville and Dr. John, to name a few. Before Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, he was touring with Harry Connick Jr., Ellis Marsalis and others.
“I recorded my two current CDs, On the Verge and Adonis Rose and the N.O. Vaders during that time,” said the UT Arlington jazz artist-in-residence.
He has four solo recordings and has performed on more than 50 recordings overall. He has recorded with saxophonist Donald Harrison, pianist Peter Martin, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, vocalist Phillip Manuel and trumpeter/keyboardist Irvin Mayfield.
After he moved to Arlington, Rose needed a place to practice. Somebody told him to contact Tim Ishii, associate professor of music at UT Arlington. Ishii helped him find a practice site on campus and asked him to perform with his orchestra at the UT Arlington Jazz Festival.
“The performance went great and sparked conversation about possibly having me do a residency at the school,” said Rose, who joined the faculty last fall and had previously taught at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts.
“I am enjoying my time at UT Arlington. I give drum lessons, workshops, perform with the faculty, recruit, sit in on jazz history classes, teach a combo class and promote the University when I do interviews and concerts.”
He is also working to establish an exchange program between UT Arlington and Duke University.
Rose performed with the Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra, which he founded in 2005, at Arlington’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in January. He was commissioned to write an original piece, which he and the orchestra debuted at the celebration.
February is Black History Month and also features a full schedule of musical offerings.