Nonnie Rosenberg

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Nonnie Rosenberg is the bassist of the Rosenberg Trio, a Dutch jazz group with a strong influence from Django Reinhardt, the Gypsy jazz guitarist of the 1930s. The trio consists of lead guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg, rhythm guitarist Nous'che Rosenberg and Nonnie on double bass. Nonnie and Nous'che are sons of Sani Rosenberg, a musician from the Dutch Sinti community. They grew up in a very musical family, in which the music of Django Reinhardt was constantly playing.

Music and breakthrough

Among all those guitarists, Nonnie was encouraged to play double bass in the family band. As a result he had to practise a great deal, and that led to his mastery of the instrument. The exact date on which the trio began under that name is not known, but it was in any case before 1989, the year of their first album, Seresta. The live album The Rosenberg Trio: Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival, from 1992, captured the trio at a distinctive and youthful peak. In 2010 Djangologists appeared, a DVD with a tribute to Django Reinhardt. The trio played with other influential musicians, such as Angelo Debarre, Romane, Bireli Lagrene and Peter Beets.

Influence

In Gypsy jazz the bass has an important role: together with the rhythm guitar it provides the continuous, driving pulse on which the soloist lays his lines. Nonnie Rosenberg fills that role in one of the best-known Dutch jazz groups and keeps the tradition of Django Reinhardt alive.

Listening