Education
Rosengarden began playing drums when he was 12, and later studied at the University of Michigan.
conductor bandleader jazz musician
Rosengarden began playing drums when he was 12, and later studied at the University of Michigan.
A native of Elgin, Illinois, he was a solid and versatile contributor on countless recording sessions and playing in television network orchestras and talk-show bands. After playing drums in Army bands in World World War II, he moved to New York City, working in several groups between 1945 and 1948 before becoming a busy studio musician. He played at National Broadcasting Company-television (1949–1968) and American Broadcasting Company (1969–1974) on The Steve Allen Show, The Ernie Kovacs Show, Sing Along With Mitch, Johnny Carson"s The Tonight Show Band, and led the band for The Dick Cavett Show.
Through the years, Rosengarden became a busy studio musician, recording with Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Skitch Henderson, Quincy Jones, Peter Nero, Gil Evans/Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, Dick Hyman, Arlo Guthrie, Carmen McRae, Ben East. King, Harry Belafonte, Barbra Streisand, Jimi Hendrix and Tony Bennett, between other significant artists.
In later years, Rosengarden was most often heard as the drummer with a variety of all-star, swing-oriented mainstream groups, including Soprano Summit. Rosengarden died of Alzheimer"s disease in Sarasota, Florida, at the age of 82.