Biography
Jorge Rossy stands out as a Catalonian jazz figure skilled on drums, piano, vibraphone, and marimba. His exacting yet supple command of the drum kit appears across hundreds of sessions involving Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson, Mark Turner, and Kurt Rosenwinkel among many others. His extensive history as a preferred touring accompanist further encompasses engagements with Woody Shaw, Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, and Joe Lovano. Alongside his brother, the bassist Mario Rossy, he first recorded as co-leader with Mehldau on the 1993 album When I Fall in Love, credited to the Mehldau & Rossy Trio; he entered the pianist’s regular trio two years afterward. A commanding composer in his own right, Rossy directs an all-star quintet devoted to vibes and marimba whose initial releases, 2015’s Stay Here and 2018’s Beyond Sunday, drew international critical attention. In 2020 he supplied drums for the trio album Common View alongside pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and bassist Jasper Somsen.
Born in Barcelona in 1964, Rossy took up drumming at eleven. Formal training in composition accompanied his close examination of jazz pianists, whose approach shaped his own feel at the kit. Hours of daily practice transformed him into a sought-after jazz drummer while still in high school, attracting both local and visiting players. Between 1980 and 1989 he performed live with trumpeters Woody Shaw, Kenny Wheeler, and Jack Walrath; admiration for the trumpet prompted deeper study. In 1989 he relocated to Boston to enroll at the Berklee School of Music as a trumpet major, yet continued drumming and quickly became the preferred timekeeper among fellow students. He joined Danilo Perez’s trio for tours through the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe, then spent two years in the Paquito D’Rivera Sextet.
Rossy and Mario settled in New York City in 1991. The drummer immersed himself in the scene alongside Berklee classmates saxophonists Mark Turner and Chris Cheek and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel while also leading groups with his brother. Steady work followed with younger leaders including Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson, and Avishai Cohen. The Mehldau-Rossy Trio recorded When I Fall in Love for Fresh Sound in 1993 and shortly thereafter the two-volume New York-Barcelona Crossing for the same imprint, expanding to a quartet by adding tenorist Perico Sambeat. In 1995 Rossy entered Mehldau’s trio with bassist Larry Grenadier, remaining eleven years and appearing on every volume of The Art of the Trio plus Largo, Anything Goes, and House on Hill. During that period he also toured and recorded with Joshua Redman, Mike Kanan, Ben Monder, and Ben Street.
Returning to Barcelona in 2000, Rossy gradually redirected attention toward piano while continuing primarily as a drummer. He made his recorded debut on the instrument with the Jordi Matas Quintet’s 2003 album All That Matas and returned to the piano chair two years later on Racons. In 2006 he led his own piano trio on the acclaimed Fresh Sound release Wicca featuring drummer R.J. Miller and organist Albert Sanz. Two years later he directed a piano quintet, Iri’s Blues, for Moskito Records with Miller, bassist Ben Street, saxophonist Raffi Garabedian, and his son Felix Rossy on trumpet and cornet. He appeared on drums with Steve Swallow’s quintet for Into the Woodwork and later that year joined Ethan Iverson’s quartet—alongside Grenadier and saxophonist Lee Konitz—for Costumes Are Mandatory on High Note. Two years afterward he contributed vibraphone and marimba to Aphorism in collaboration with pianist Michael Beck and saxophonist.
In 2016 Rossy issued Stay There, the first album by his marimba and vibes quintet, whose personnel included drummer Al Foster, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and bassist Doug Weiss. Later the same year he served as session drummer on Fox with electric guitarist Pierre Perchaud and bassist Nicolas Moreaux. In 2018 he reunited with Landolf in a pianoless quartet for Off the Cuff, which also featured tenorist Bill McHenry and double bassist Bänz Oester. That year he also released Beyond Sunday for Jazz & People, the second outing by his vibes and marimba quintet, now featuring guitarist Jaume Llombart in Bernstein’s place. During 2020 Rossy recorded the widely praised trio album Common View with Pieranunzi and Somsen for Challenge Records and joined guitarist Jakob Bro’s trio, alongside trumpeter and electronicist Arve Henriksen, for the ECM album Uma Elmo, issued in February 2021.
Born in Barcelona in 1964, Rossy took up drumming at eleven. Formal training in composition accompanied his close examination of jazz pianists, whose approach shaped his own feel at the kit. Hours of daily practice transformed him into a sought-after jazz drummer while still in high school, attracting both local and visiting players. Between 1980 and 1989 he performed live with trumpeters Woody Shaw, Kenny Wheeler, and Jack Walrath; admiration for the trumpet prompted deeper study. In 1989 he relocated to Boston to enroll at the Berklee School of Music as a trumpet major, yet continued drumming and quickly became the preferred timekeeper among fellow students. He joined Danilo Perez’s trio for tours through the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe, then spent two years in the Paquito D’Rivera Sextet.
Rossy and Mario settled in New York City in 1991. The drummer immersed himself in the scene alongside Berklee classmates saxophonists Mark Turner and Chris Cheek and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel while also leading groups with his brother. Steady work followed with younger leaders including Brad Mehldau, Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson, and Avishai Cohen. The Mehldau-Rossy Trio recorded When I Fall in Love for Fresh Sound in 1993 and shortly thereafter the two-volume New York-Barcelona Crossing for the same imprint, expanding to a quartet by adding tenorist Perico Sambeat. In 1995 Rossy entered Mehldau’s trio with bassist Larry Grenadier, remaining eleven years and appearing on every volume of The Art of the Trio plus Largo, Anything Goes, and House on Hill. During that period he also toured and recorded with Joshua Redman, Mike Kanan, Ben Monder, and Ben Street.
Returning to Barcelona in 2000, Rossy gradually redirected attention toward piano while continuing primarily as a drummer. He made his recorded debut on the instrument with the Jordi Matas Quintet’s 2003 album All That Matas and returned to the piano chair two years later on Racons. In 2006 he led his own piano trio on the acclaimed Fresh Sound release Wicca featuring drummer R.J. Miller and organist Albert Sanz. Two years later he directed a piano quintet, Iri’s Blues, for Moskito Records with Miller, bassist Ben Street, saxophonist Raffi Garabedian, and his son Felix Rossy on trumpet and cornet. He appeared on drums with Steve Swallow’s quintet for Into the Woodwork and later that year joined Ethan Iverson’s quartet—alongside Grenadier and saxophonist Lee Konitz—for Costumes Are Mandatory on High Note. Two years afterward he contributed vibraphone and marimba to Aphorism in collaboration with pianist Michael Beck and saxophonist.
In 2016 Rossy issued Stay There, the first album by his marimba and vibes quintet, whose personnel included drummer Al Foster, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and bassist Doug Weiss. Later the same year he served as session drummer on Fox with electric guitarist Pierre Perchaud and bassist Nicolas Moreaux. In 2018 he reunited with Landolf in a pianoless quartet for Off the Cuff, which also featured tenorist Bill McHenry and double bassist Bänz Oester. That year he also released Beyond Sunday for Jazz & People, the second outing by his vibes and marimba quintet, now featuring guitarist Jaume Llombart in Bernstein’s place. During 2020 Rossy recorded the widely praised trio album Common View with Pieranunzi and Somsen for Challenge Records and joined guitarist Jakob Bro’s trio, alongside trumpeter and electronicist Arve Henriksen, for the ECM album Uma Elmo, issued in February 2021.
Albums
Puerta
2021
This Time The Dream's On Us
2021
Uma Elmo
2021
El Secreto Peor Guardado
2020
Luna
2020
Common View
2020
Singles
