BIO
Up above are batches of songs I wrote — or more often, co-wrote — with a wide crew of musicians, songwriters, and composers (a fair share of Grammy, Tony, and Emmy nominees and winners among them). Some brought me aboard, others I happily roped in, including Linda Goldstein, Bobby McFerrin, Roger Treece, John Margolis, Jay “dogbrain” Ward, Peter Valentine, Jim Gately, Terry Radigan, Everett Bradley, Jon Spottiswoode, Jeremy Sisto, Gary Schreiner, Kathena Bryant, and many more.
Most of this work was collaborative — usually me stoking the lyrics and concepts, sometimes co-writing music or pitching in on production and arrangements. Now and then I wrote and produced the whole enchilada. Often it was all hands on deck across words and music — especially with John Margolis and Jay Ward.
A few were commissions. Some landed on albums, in films, on stage, in a doc, or on NPR. Some found homes. Others are still at the song pound, waiting for forever ears. A bunch I hatched from scratch — no one asked me to — and some of those even managed to fly.
Subject-wise? You know, the usual: faces on refrigerator doors, late-night loners calling sports radio, roofers breaking into song, boasters on rollercoasters, a ditty from the electric chair… or a fifty-piece choir suddenly channeling ancient Latin, Zulu, Arabic, and Gaelic.
I also stuck my neck out with a few love songs. Hell, I even co-wrote six Christmas tunes (and, to paraphrase Maxwell Smart, “…and loved every minute of it”).
Some of the core projects include Rosler’s Recording Booth, Bobby McFerrin: VOCAbuLarieS, and Christine’s Refrigerator with John Margolis — all different in scope, sound, and story.
Along the way came song songs co-written with Everett Bradley for his Holidelic holiday albums, co-writes for Peter Valentine’s To Whom It May Concern (title track, RIFF on EMI, produced by Fred Hammond); songs for stage pieces including Kenneth Branagh’s Public Enemy and Do What You Gotta Do; commissions for the great L.A. Master Chorale and stunning Chicago Children’s Choir ; and soundtrack placements that include Som Livre / Global albums that sold a lot more than I expected. Oh — and one national jingle co-written with Mr. Margolis, a song on a “Kitchen Sisters” release, and I bunch I can't remember (which is either a good or a bad thing).
So it’s a mix of co-writes, real commissions, pretend commissions, and stray pups.
The larger batch lives up on SoundCloud. Many are also on Spotify — unless they weren’t meant to be — but since I’m not a performing artist, it’s trickier to show off as one there.
Others were one-offs, part of larger collaborations, or just songs that insisted on being written, for better or worse!
“Rosler's Recording Booth” Featuring Terry Radigan, Spottiswoode, John Margolis, Jeremy Sisto, Kathena Bryant, Jon Albrink, Tamara Hey.
Darkly surreal and often quirkily charming… You may have already heard “Doris From Rego Park" where Rosler sings to her gently over a hypnotic, new wave pop-tinged keyboard lullaby.… As sympathetic a portrait as Rosler paints, it evokes a crushing loneliness. The rest of the album ranges from upbeat to downright haunting – Lucid Culture
Autobiographical, fictionalized, concerned with memory and the elusiveness of time past. Don Rosler's lyrics tell the story ["Life is but a dream, I know/Have you seen that boat we used to row?"] indivisibly from his intricate, many-leveled arrangements of melodic, poignant musical compositions. Oh yeah, there's humor, there's everything -- the album is elaborately detailed, creates a world. It flows seamlessly, while rewarding attention. It's a trip." --Howard Mandel, NPR / Jazz Beyond Jazz (re: Rosler's Recording Booth)
Very impressed with the interweaving of the authentic coin-op recordings with the new songs. ...like a theatrical production...the music is in keeping with such a performance style, and the nostagic theme wafts through the entire collection.” – Alan Dein, BBC Radio
All about connection: the way all those lonely voices reach out in the wee hours when they should be fast asleep." – Ken Plutnicki, New York Times
“This concept CD that reminds me of an era of songwriting when Van Dyke Parks, Harry Nilsson, and Randy Newman were just launching their careers... It features a number of guest vocalists breathing life into 16 of Don Rosler's sumptuous songs. My favorite is this simple, acoustic guitar folk-pop ballad [“First I Draw The Sun”] featuring the sweet, clear-throated vocals of N.Y.C.-based singer Tamara Hey."-- Dusty Wright, Culture Clash
“Bobby McFerrin: VOCAbuLarieS” Produced & Conceived by Linda Goldstein. Composed by Roger Treece, Bobby McFerrin, with lyrics by Don Rosler ("Say Ladeo", “Brief Eternity”, “Messages”)
But the most compelling of these masterpieces is ‘Messages,’ a cornucopia of languages constructed by lyricist Don Rosler that rises like a melodious Tower of Babel, exalting the incomparable beauty of universal harmony.” — Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times
A symphonic vocal poem of oceanic purity.” — Louis Séguin, Libération (Paris) (re: Bobby McFerrin: VOCAbuLarieS)
“VOCAbuLarieS is Bobby McFerrin’s masterpiece… purity and bliss in the music as well as in the lyrics by Don Rosler.”— Jean-Claude Elias, Jordan Times
Album nominated for Three Grammy Awards (2011)
”John Margolis: Christine's Refrigerator” Written by John Margolis & Don Rosler. Produced by John Margolis & Don Rosler. Performed and arranged by John Margolis.
A moving, interesting… meaningful, beautiful piece of music.— Jonathan Schwartz, WNYC (re: John Margolis: Christine’s Refrigerator)
A must-add to any music connoisseur’s collection. — Singer Magazine
“Christine’s Refrigerator is filled with lovely, soulful, delicious art.” — Hugh Prestwood, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
“A must-add to any music connoisseur’s collection.” — Singer Magazine (re: John Margolis: C
“Christine’s Refrigerator is filled with lovely, soulful, delicious art.” — Hugh Prestwood, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Winner of JP FOLKS “Song of the Year” 2010.