Dante Rosano was born in Tucson in 1974. He makes half of his living playing trumpet and piano, and the other half installing tile. He presently plays in Taraf de Tucson, Kiss and the Tells, Loveland, the Rosano Bros. Virtual Quartet and ¡Guerrilla Tangueros!
What was the first concert you ever saw?
My first big concert was Rush, I think. I don't remember liking, or disliking, it.
What are you listening to these days?
Blackalicious, Fats Waller, and Aphex Twin. I took the Aphex Twin CD Drukqs and slowed it down to 50 percent. I like that one a lot. I love some of Howe Gelb's songs. Lately, I've been craving music that I'm not finding. I guess that's why I write it.
What was the first album you owned?
A Louis Armstrong CD from the '30s. Also, when I was really young, I remember repeatedly playing a Black Beauty theme-song record until everyone made me stop.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone seem to love, but you just don't get?
I don't fully understand the resurgence of garage. I really love it—the rawness and energy. I just don't get the volume. I know it's fun to play really loud, but going deaf isn't fun.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Captain Beefheart.
Musically speaking, what is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Norah Jones. I learned her whole first album on piano just to see what the big deal was. I still don't know, but I like her piano-playing. It's sweet and to the point.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
"Green Grass" by Tom Waits, although I would prefer David Bryan to sing it.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
Elizabeth Cotton. I learned a whole album of hers. Also, Chris Black's latest release, Drunk at the Funeral, got me thinking and laughing.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
If I could only pick one thing to listen to, it would be all the Bach fugues. They do something to me.
