Clem DeRosa

Clem DeRosa (né Clement Richard De Rosa; 20 May 1925 – 20 December 2011, Texas) was an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, band leader, and influential music educator.

Before World War II, DeRosa performed in the New York City area. He was drafted in the U.S. Army and performed with Miller's Air Corps band. After being discharged, he worked as a professional drummer in 1950s, performing with Charles Mingus (Jazzical Moods, 1954), Marian McPartland, Teo Macero, Teddy Wilson, Thad Jones, Ben Webster, Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Coleman Hawkins, Dennis Sandole, Wally Cirillo (1927–1977), John LaPorta (Conceptions, 1957),Kenyon Hopkins, and Bobby Hackett.

He studied composition at Juilliard. DeRosa earned a Master of Music degree in orchestral conducting from the Manhattan School of Music.

He went on to teach music. In the 1960s, DeRosa was influential in formalizing jazz music education. DeRosa was co-founder and chairman of the National Association of Jazz Educators, the forerunner of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). Through the NAJE, DeRosa taught with the Stan Kenton Clinics where he collaborated with Kenton and other jazz education pioneers, including Gene Hall, and Leon Breeden. He taught at the Teachers College, Columbia University. His student ensembles performed on the television shows of Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin. DeRosa received an honorary doctorate from the Five Towns College in 1990 and was inducted into the IAJE Hall of Fame.

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