CLEM DE ROSA

BIOGRAPHY

Clem DeRosa's career as a professional musician, educator, arranger, composer, and band leader spans forty years. At age 15, he was a high schooler whose natural musical ability had him performing with the best musicians in the New York metropolitan area. However, at age eighteen, his career was interrupted by World War II.

During his military career in the Air Force, Clem served with one of Glenn Miller's Air Corps bands. After his discharge from the Air Force, Clem began his career as a professional drummer with the name bands of the 1940's.

Clem had a strong desire to be more than just a member of the orchestra, so he enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music where he studied composition and conducting. He eventually transferred to the Manhattan School of Music where he received his Master's Degree.

The next era of Clem's career involved him very deeply in music education and he became one of the leading pioneers of Jazz education in public schools. Throughout all these years he still maintained his professional image - performing, arranging, composing and conducting for many prominent artists.

Professionally, he has recorded and/or performed with the following:

Jimmy Dorsey - Ben Webster - Tommy Dorsey - Glenn Miller - Teddy Wilson - John LaPorta - Vaughn Monroe - Sandole Brothers - Stan Kenton - Teo Macero - Charlie Mingus - Kenyon Hopkins - Coleman Hawkins - Clark Terry - Benny Goodman  - Phil Woods - Marian McPartland

In 1981 and 1982, Clem led the world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra on two major concert tours throughout Europe. He worked in conjunction with Dave Grusin on the Miller album "In The Digital Mood" (which is now Gold), and also produced the band's "Up Where We Belong" album.

In 1990, Clem was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame. Along with Paul Schaffer, Jimmy Webb, and Ron Delsener, Clem received an Honorary Doctorate from Five Towns College in June of 1992. Clem is frequently called upon to lead the American Swing Orchestra.