Charles 'Chico' Rouse Jr.
Exploring BeBop through Life and Legacy
From the day he was born, Charles 'Chico' Rouse Jr. has been immersed in the jazz world. His father, Charles Rouse Sr, was the best inspiration anyone could ask for. Charles Rouse Sr was a contemporary of the greatest of America?s Classical Musician and one of the forefathers of BeBop. In 1963, Chico was growing up, spending six nights a week at the Village Vanguard watching and learning from the legends such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adley, Herbie Hancock and Dizzy Gillespie just to name a few. This brought Chico to the passion for his own exploration as a jazz student and percussionist in 1973. Chico had the privilege to study privately under such jazz greats as Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Art Blakely, Keith Copeland, Manis Percussion Professor Norman Grossman, and the NYC Jazz Mobile with Charlie Persip and Freddie Waitts. His witness to history and personal instructors put him on the path he is on today.
After many years of instruction, Chico started to go out on the road. He toured with musicians such as George Benson, Grover Washington, Stanley Clark, Eric Gale, Frank Foster, Jimmy McGriff, Chico Mendoza and Eric Alexander making his way from coast to coast and overseas.
After fifteen years of touring, Chico redirected his focus to producing, managing, and promoting. From 1988 to 1991 Chico was the Entertainment Coordinator of the Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, NJ and the Vice President of the New Jersey Jazz and Blues Foundation, through which he established the Red Bank River Fest. Chico resurrected the Count Basie Theater back on to the national concert circuit, where he coordinated the first Bon Jovi Christmas Benefit and produced such acts as B.B King, Roberta Flack, Marsalis Brothers, Dr. John, Spyro Gyro, Michael Franks and many more.
Chico then moved his expertise to the city of Asbury Park, NJ in 1996 as the General Manager of Entertainment for the City and Executive Director of the Convention Center. As he resurrected the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, he also re-established the Paramount Theater and Convention Center back to a national concert tour stop, it was generating over $1 million annually. Chico has been producing the Asbury Park Jazz Festival for the last 20 years.
In 1997 Chico created the Charles Rouse Institution for the Arts. Chico has been bringing his workshop to schools in the Northeast from Boston to Washington since 1988. Chico also has professional affiliations with the New Jersey Council for the Arts.
Over the last two years Chico has been constructing a jazz club, in the legacy of his father, in the revitalized and beautiful downtown Asbury Park. Chico?s House of Jazz is slated to be a premier Jazz Club on the Jersey shore.
Whether it's as a musician, a jazz historian, producer, or community contributor, Charles 'Chico' Rouse's love for the art shines through.
If you would like more information on bringing Chico to your school or area, please email Ed Maier. ed@chicoshouseofjazz.com
