Looking for contemporary acoustic music peppered with rhythm and spice? Patti DeRosa conjures up an eclectic mix of musical magic…it’s a soft finger-picking ballad and a jazzy groove, an island rhythm and an edgy rocker, a political commentary and a humorous rhyme, strong originals and unique covers…You never know what you’re going to get and DeRosa likes it that way. She revels in diversity, both personally and musically (when she’s not making music, she’s the President of ChangeWorks Consulting, which focuses on workplace and community diversity.
(www.changeworksconsulting.org).
Her music is a treat that is delivered with a stage presence that draws the audience in and warms the heart. She is a powerful presence, equally, fun, funky, and sizzling.
Patti has shared the bill with artists such as Antje Duvekot, Emma’s Revolution, Vance Gilbert, Vicki Genfan, Terence Martin, Lisa Moscatiello, Kevin So, and even the Four Tops. Touring locally, nationally, and internationally, she has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, El Salvador, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
She has 3 CDs: “Packing My Bags” (2011), a live CD that captures the true feel and fun of a live concert; “Secrets and Stories” (2007) featuring a band of stellar musicians and bursting with the flavors of folk, jazz, R&B, rock, and funk, and “Paradise” (2005), her premier acoustic project with basic acoustic arrangements and an island feel.
Patti started writing songs as soon as she got her first guitar when she was thirteen years old living in Long Island, NY. She moved to Boston to pursue graduate studies in social work and African American studies, and continued to be a frequent performer in the Boston and New York folk scene. At one point, she put down her guitar for the steel drums, as her love of Caribbean music and culture lead her to join the Boston-based Metro Steel Orchestra, where she played ”pan”, sang, and even did the limbo. She took a long hiatus from the music world to dedicate herself to her passion for social justice, but the draw of her music was too compelling, and in 2004, Patti picked up her guitar and returned to performing. She currently lives in the Boston area and when she is not playing music, you're likely to find her writing, reading, dancing, laughing with friends, sipping wine, or planning yet another escape to a new far-away destination.