Independent
About
Setup
Cymbals listed from left to right
14" Signature Dark Energy Hats Mark I
16" Signature Dark Energy Crash Mark I
8" Signature Reflector Splash
(discontinued)
22" Signature Dark Energy Ride Mark II
18" Signature Dark Energy Crash Mark I
18" Signature Thin China
14" Sound Formula Crystal Crash
(Discontinued)
Videos & Pics
Biography
Born and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico, Dr. Jose Rosa has been playing percussion since the age of five. By 11, he began formal music lessons with Professor Jose “Tito” Rivera at the Escuela Libre de Música de Humacao. At 12, he joined the Humacao Symphonic Band, led by Professor Germán Peña Plaza, performing in Venezuela, New York, Costa Rica, the Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic. At 14, he continued his training with Professor Jose "Pepe" Torres at the Escuela Libre de Música de Caguas. He performed with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, the Puerto Rico Concert Band, and various local ensembles. At 17, Dr. Rosa was accepted into the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, where he studied percussion under Professor Jose Alicea and played with the America Youth Symphony Orchestra in San Juan. In 1994, he moved to the U.S. and studied at the University of Miami and Florida International University. He later moved to Orlando, where he worked at Walt Disney World and performed with local bands. Dr. Rosa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Music in Music Technology and Game Audio Production from Southern Utah University, and a Doctor of Education in Applied Learning Science from the University of Miami. He is currently completing a Post-Doctoral Certificate in Non-Profit Management at Texas A&M’s Bush School of Government and Public Service, along with a second Master of Education in Global Education from Arizona State University. Throughout his career, Dr. Rosa has performed alongside world-class artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Tito Puente, Marcos Barrientos, Giovanni Hidalgo, the Gipsy Kings, Danilo Montero, Bobby Cruz, Charlene Stewart, Gregg Bissonette, and Liam Teague, among others. His experience includes performances in Disney’s Tarzan Rocks and The Village Beatniks at Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios’ I Love Lucy Tribute Show, and appearances on PBS’s Jazz Then and Now and the Travel Channel’s The Making of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Dr. Rosa splits his time between New York and Cartago, Costa Rica, where he teaches, records, and is set to open a “Performing Artist University." He directs his band, Jose Rosa and Friends, producing albums and opening for artists like Franco De Vita. An accomplished author, Dr. Rosa has published several instructional music books, including Beyond the Secret Hand, Modern Tumbadoras: How to Play Congas, Advanced Latin Drumming Independence, New World Music History, The Art of Latin Drumming, Advanced Coordination for the Tumbadoras, Timbales: The History of the Instrument That Became the Heartbeat of Latin Music, and Extreme Coordination for the 21st Century Drummer. His instructional video, The Contemporary Hand Drummer, is available online. In 2015, Dr. Rosa was inducted into the Puerto Rico Music Hall of Fame for his contributions to music. Dr. Rosa is proud to endorse Pearl Drums and Percussion, Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drum Heads, Pro-Mark Drumsticks, Purecussion Percussion, and Cympad. His passion for performance and education continues to inspire musicians worldwide.
Setup Cymbals
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Details
Sizes: 20", 21", 22"
Volume: Medium
Weight: Medium
Sound character: A fusion of darkness, energy, projection and brilliance. Very wide range, complex, musical mix. Responsive feel, extremely controllable. Woody, silvery, spanky ping over crunchy, thriving wash. Extremely versatile, flexible ride for wide ranging application in modern blended music styles. Mark II: Tends to be a bit livelier and brighter. This manifests itself in the overall sound character and in particular in the bell and ping sound. Mark II also has a bit more volume potential due to its more open character.
- Sounds
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Details
Sizes: 16", 17", 18", 19"
Volume: Medium
Weight: Light
Sound character: Dark body, full frequency spectrum, brilliant highs. Very wide range, complex, pleasing musical mix. Immediate, sensitive response, strong attack, controllable spread, even, layered fade. This crash combines silky, soft qualities with energy and projection for an incredibly versatile application range. Also extremely well suited as suspended cymbals and for mallet rolls.
- Sounds
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Details
Sizes: 14", 15"
Volume: Medium
Weight: Medium
Sound character: Full, rich, energetic with a definite dark side. Crunchy, with a meaty bite. Very wide range, very complex mix. Extremely balanced, very responsive feel. Full dark, rich, shimmering, biting open/closed sound. Beautiful, fat, meaty, crisp, cutting chick sound. Fast, responsive, articulate with excellent feel and playability. An immensely versatile hi-hat that combines finesse and articulation with raw energy and cutting power.
- Sounds
