The Mystery Brothers
The Mystery Brothers is the drumset duo of Jay Rosen and Brian Willson.
Jay Rosen
Jay Rosen was born in 1961 in Philadelphia. His family moved to Long Island, N.Y. in 1964. Jay's musical interest took shape from recorded music that was played around the house as well as two aunts and a brother that were all musicians. Musical vibrations affected Jay in deep, profound ways. Jay began music lessons at age eight on guitar and then piano. However, after seeing (and hearing) Tony Williams (with Sonny Rollins) at Carnegie Hall in 1971, Jay switched to the drums exclusively.
Upon hearing Charlie Parker and John Coltrane at the age of 13, Jay decided to pursue jazz as a serious course of study. Jay has studied with Barry Altschul, Kenwood Dennard, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, and Joe Morello among others. Jay has been an active member of the New York jazz scene since 1990. Since then he has been deeply involved in the creative improvised and new music scenes in New York City and beyond.
Jay Rosen has earned a considerable reputation as a first-rate drummer, lending his talents to diverse musical projects. He has performed throughout Europe, Canada and the U.S. and/or recorded with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Mark Whitecage, Perry Robinson, Paul Smoker, Herb Robertson, James Carter, Anthony Braxton, Dave Taylor, Michael Marcus, Jaco Pastorius, Ivo Perelman, Steve Swell, Kenny Werner, Michael Bisio , William Parker, Roy Campbell, Sonny Simmons, Howard Johnson, Dom Minasi, Mike Stern, Dominic Duval , Joe McPhee, Matt Shipp, Charles Gayle among many others. He has played on over 150 recordings.
Brian Willson
Brian Willson DMA Brian Willson has played with Big Nick Nicholas, Frank Lacy, Katy Roberts, Kenny Werner, Dominic Duval , Cameron Brown , Willie Williams, New Tenor Conclave, Doc Cheatam, Ricky Ford, Jason Kao Hwang, Pauline Oliveros, Montego Joe, Warren Smith, Terry Silverlight, and has several Broadway show tours to his credit. He has performed, conducted, and/or lectured in 25 countries.
His first CD as a leader, Things Heard Unheard, features Yuko Fujiyama and Dominic Duval and has been released on the Deep Listening Label. He currently co-leads a quartet with Salim Washington, featuring Radu Ben Judah and Yayoi Ikawa. Their recording; You Dig? will be released in fall, 2010. He recently recorded a CD of duets with Pauline Oliveros, As It Is. In 2005 he recorded a series of improvisations with Dutch percussionist Ruud Wiener and in 2006 a quartet with bass-trombonist Dave Taylor.
Trained in both the classical and jazz traditions, he is currently on faculty in the percussion department of Brooklyn College where has taught for the last 15 years. . He received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in June 2005 from the CUNY Graduate Center in NY. He has been featured in 3 television specials, the Salim Washington-Brian Willson Quartet; the Imagination Ensemble: Just Playin’; and The New Standard Trio with Dominic Duval and Yayoi Ikawa, aired on CUNY TV as part of their regular broadcast schedule. He is conductor/producer for two recent recording projects, singer Monica Harte , Songs From Another Place; and composer Terry Winter Owens, Sources of Light. In 2005, 2007,and 2008 he toured Brazil giving master classes in Campinas, Rio, and Bahia. Brian plays Yamaha Drums, Paiste Cymbals,Regal Tip Drumsticks, Latin Percussion,and Evans Heads.