Trentino Music
A Fuse is Lit
If there ever was a year to illustrate the ability of Red Bull Thre3style to thrust a local talent into the national spotlight, it would be this year. Enter Trenton Rosenbaum, a.k.a. Trentino Music. A former competitor in 2011, Trentino was all set for life after the battle scene when a golden opportunity presented itself. Fueled by the chance to play in front of greats and inspired by last year’s world champion, Fourcolorzack, Trentino threw his fedora into the ring once again, this time to spectacular results.
Fusing his years of classical training with new DJ technology, Trentino tore through competition en route to being named the best in the United States. His active video channel illustrates his repurposing of Dicers as an instrument and the heights he’s taken the role of the DJ to. Still, he thrives for more. With one more level of achievement within his grasp, Trentino Music arrives in Toronto as a man on a mission.
MANAGING DOWNTIME AND PREPARING FOR THE WORLD FINALS
I hadn’t listened to anyone’s sets until just recently. It’s never been a big factor for me. I haven’t heard anything that made me think I need to change anything. I just put together the sets and try to be the most innovative I can be. I’m trying to cover as much ground as possible. For my world sets, you’ll definitely hear that range. The majority of my routine I wouldn’t play in my regular sets. It’s definitely just for Thre3style.
MUSICAL FOUNDATIONS
I started playing drums when I was ten. I took lessons until I was 18. I went to college and got my Bachelor’s in music and jazz studies. I was exposed to everything. You not only have to study theory and ear training and history, but you have to perform and create and play music in a variety of situations. I’ve played jazz, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Japanese, and more. Those experiences really inform what I do. I started Djing and producing when I was 14. Once I graduated I bought Serato and started getting established in nightclubs.
DECISIONS TO COMPETE THIS YEAR
In 2011, I came second to my friend Big Once in Chicago. I actually turned down competing last year because I didn’t feel it was my creative direction. I caught wind of who was judging the battle this year: A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff, and Z-Trip. That’s pretty much the best panel to perform in front of. And the prize money was raised so much that I kind of had no choice but to enter.
Thre3style is bigger this year than any year so far. Plus they got some higher profile DJs to enter, particularly DJ Scene from Las Vegas. He’s one of the best known DJs in the open format world and a big DJ on the West Coast. He had a huge crowd out there to support him, and no one knew me. So winning the US Finals out West was a huge moment.
THE POTENTIAL OF THRE3STLE AS A PERFORMANCE PIECE
Anything is possible at this point. There’s no one right way to set up your equipment. You can have much or as little as you want and make it work together. A lot of people don’t realize Thre3style has strict equipment rules. When I perform anywhere else, I use an electronic drum kit and I’m asked why I don’t use that. I can only use one controller. Thre3style is its own thing, and doesn’t have much to do with how I usually perform. What I usually do in the club wouldn’t work in Thre3style, and what I do in Thre3style wouldn’t work in my club sets.
THE PRECEDENT FOURCOLORZACK SET WINNING IN 2012
I saw his set at the World Finals last year, and it made me want to quit DJing. I didn’t even attempt to come up with that stuff up until the point I entered last January. I had been using stuff with the controllers and the turntables for years. But the tone play that he did was incredible. I had seen it before, but Zack’s was so much better and so much more of it was in his set that it was just crazy.
LIFE AFTER THRE3STYLE
I work with an artist named Alina Renae. She is an amazing singer and songwriter. We’ve been working together for about a year. After this, we’re going to have a project ready by next year and really try to make a mark. I’m starting to make the connections where we can make really good product and something really special.
Since the US finals, I’ve been playing clubs all over. I don’t see it as a permanent solution. I won’t be happy unless I take a run at something bigger.
If there ever was a year to illustrate the ability of Red Bull Thre3style to thrust a local talent into the national spotlight, it would be this year. Enter Trenton Rosenbaum, a.k.a. Trentino Music. A former competitor in 2011, Trentino was all set for life after the battle scene when a golden opportunity presented itself. Fueled by the chance to play in front of greats and inspired by last year's world champion, Fourcolorzack, Trentino threw his fedora into the ring once again, this time to spectacular results.
Fusing his years of classical training with new DJ technology, Trentino tore through competition en route to being named the best in the United States. His active video channel illustrates his repurposing of Dicers as an instrument and the heights he's taken the role of the DJ to. Still, he thrives for more. With one more level of achievement within his grasp, Trentino Music arrives in Toronto as a man on a mission.
MANAGING DOWNTIME AND PREPARING FOR THE WORLD FINALS
I hadn't listened to anyone's sets until just recently. It's never been a big factor for me. I haven't heard anything that made me think I need to change anything. I just put together the sets and try to be the most innovative I can be. I'm trying to cover as much ground as possible. For my world sets, you'll definitely hear that range. The majority of my routine I wouldn't play in my regular sets. It's definitely just for Thre3style.
MUSICAL FOUNDATIONS
I started playing drums when I was ten. I took lessons until I was 18. I went to college and got my Bachelor's in music and jazz studies. I was exposed to everything. You not only have to study theory and ear training and history, but you have to perform and create and play music in a variety of situations. I've played jazz, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Japanese, and more. Those experiences really inform what I do. I started Djing and producing when I was 14. Once I graduated I bought Serato and started getting established in nightclubs.
DECISIONS TO COMPETE THIS YEAR
In 2011, I came second to my friend Big Once in Chicago. I actually turned down competing last year because I didn't feel it was my creative direction. I caught wind of who was judging the battle this year: A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff, and Z-Trip. That's pretty much the best panel to perform in front of. And the prize money was raised so much that I kind of had no choice but to enter.
Thre3style is bigger this year than any year so far. Plus they got some higher profile DJs to enter, particularly DJ Scene from Las Vegas. He's one of the best known DJs in the open format world and a big DJ on the West Coast. He had a huge crowd out there to support him, and no one knew me. So winning the US Finals out West was a huge moment.
THE POTENTIAL OF THRE3STLE AS A PERFORMANCE PIECE
Anything is possible at this point. There's no one right way to set up your equipment. You can have much or as little as you want and make it work together. A lot of people don't realize Thre3style has strict equipment rules. When I perform anywhere else, I use an electronic drum kit and I'm asked why I don't use that. I can only use one controller. Thre3style is its own thing, and doesn't have much to do with how I usually perform. What I usually do in the club wouldn't work in Thre3style, and what I do in Thre3style wouldn't work in my club sets.
THE PRECEDENT FOURCOLORZACK SET WINNING IN 2012
I saw his set at the World Finals last year, and it made me want to quit DJing. I didn't even attempt to come up with that stuff up until the point I entered last January. I had been using stuff with the controllers and the turntables for years. But the tone play that he did was incredible. I had seen it before, but Zack's was so much better and so much more of it was in his set that it was just crazy.
LIFE AFTER THRE3STYLE
I work with an artist named Alina Renae. She is an amazing singer and songwriter. We've been working together for about a year. After this, we're going to have a project ready by next year and really try to make a mark. I'm starting to make the connections where we can make really good product and something really special.
Since the US finals, I've been playing clubs all over. I don't see it as a permanent solution. I won't be happy unless I take a run at something bigger.