Drummer, Frank Derrick, has led a multifaceted national and international music career. He is a virtuoso performer, composer, and educator. His many theatrical credits include Bubbling Brown Sugar, The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Sophisticated Ladies, Big River, and Catskills. He has performed with numerous legends and artists including Redd Foxx, Stephanie Mills, Della Reese, Freda Payne, Eubie Blake, The Platters, Eartha Kitt, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Dorothy Donegan, The Pointer Sisters, Ken Peplowski, Dakota Staton, Steve Allen, The Louis Armstrong Legacy Band, Donna Summer, Keely Smith, Maureen McGovern, Ann Hampton Callaway, Benny Carter, and has conducted on the concert stage for John Pizzarelli and Lanie Kazan. He toured worldwide with Cab Calloway for ten years and was drummer for “The David Letterman Show” on NBC.
Frank has served as the drummer, assistant conductor & personnel manager for the Palm Beach Pops and is the conductor and featured artist with the Bob Hoose Orchestra. Familiar to symphony audiences around the world, Frank Derrick has appeared with the Royal Philharmonic, the New York Pops, Pittsburgh Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, and the Buffalo Philharmonic. His precision and driving rhythmic styling has been featured on the cast album of Bubbling Brown Sugar, Big City Swing with Veronica Martell, Strong & Graceful Oaks with Rejoice Ensemble, The Cab Calloway Show Live in Freiburg Germany, and Something Old, Something New with The Bob Hoose Orchestra. His “Straight Ahead” composition garnered the A.S.C.A.P. Special Award and his most recent CD, The Beat Goes On for the Jazzed Media label. He leads his own ensemble, the Frank Derrick Big Band. Learn more at www.frankderrick.com