Among the performers at this weekend’s Jazz by the Boulevard festival in Fort Worth will be its new creative director, drummer Adonis Rose. The new job is one of several he’s acquired in North Texas since evacuating here from Hurricane Katrina: founder and leader of the Fort Worth Jazz Orchestra, artist-in-residence at UT Arlington – all while still touring and recording on his own and with the likes of Harry Connick, Jr. and trumpeter Nicholas Payton. Rose likes to keep busy, but his willingness to take on so much amounts to a mission of sorts at an odd time: When many believe jazz has fallen on commercially hard times, Rose believes he can help build an audience for it in North Texas. Rose recently sat down with KERA’s Sam Baker to discuss the local jazz scene in this interview that aired on Friday.

Listen to the story: