ADONIS ROSE

LIVE AT JAZZASCONA – THE MUSIC OF GREG HILL

Cold Plunge Records

Adonis Rose, drums/bandleader; Phillip Manuel, vocals/lyricist; Seth Finch, piano; Max Moran, acoustic bass; Ashlin Parker, trumpet; Miles Berry, tenor saxophone; Rex Gregory, alto saxophone/arranger.

The 42^nd production of JazzAscona, one of the world’s premier celebrations of New Orleans music, unfolded in 2025.  This album, Adonis Rose “Live at JazzAscona,” represents the festival’s first “Live” recording devoted entirely to the music of Gregg Hill, the founder of Cold Plunge Records. The concert took place in Ascona, Ticino, Switzerland before an international audience.

Adonis Rose is a New Orleans drummer, composer, producer and educator. Boasting fifty recordings as a leader, Adonis has worked with such legendary artists as Betty Carter, Marcus Roberts, Harry Connick Jr., Dianne Reeves, Wynton Marsalis and his longtime collaborator Nicholas Payton.  On this recording, he heads a seven-piece New Orleans ensemble, and they celebrate the music of composer Gregg Hill, with arrangements by alto saxophonist, Rex Gregory.

They open with “First Impulse,” introduced by a blast of horn harmonies with the pulse provided by Adonis Rose on drums. Next, male vocalist Phillip Manuel enters. Midway through the song, the 7-piece band arrangement turns into double-time.  It becomes a straight-ahead production with the focus on dynamic trumpeter Ashlin Parker. Next, the spotlight swivels to tenor sax man, Miles Berry, who presents an exciting solo.  Seth Finch is awesome on piano, spurred by the pop of the Rose drums.  This opening song is dynamic! To build the momentum, after the piano solo they return to the original tempo and Manuel returns to the microphone singing, “My first impulse was you.”

A composition called “Tone Colors” briefly features Phillip Manuel again on vocals.  He is also the lyricist on this project, adding words to the Greg Hill compositions. The band has included two cover tunes, “Bop-Be” by Keith Jarrett and Strayhorn’s “Lush Life.”  All the other compositions celebrate the talents of composer Gregg Hill, who is also the co-producer (along with Adonis Rose). Hill owns the record company of this project.

On the Jarrett tune, Manuel becomes a human horn in the style of Eddie Jefferson, singing his solo with words. He scats his way through this up-tempo tune. I must say that Manuel’s freeform improvisation is quite impressive.

The band is both inspired and entertaining.  They bring great energy to this project, led by the excellence of Adonis Rose on the drums.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

Subscribe to Our Newsletter