Composer and pianist Alfredo Rodríguez was born October 7, 1985 in Havana, Cuba.
Alfredo has a solid musical background. He began studying percussion at the age of 7 but his real passion was the piano and that’s what he finally chose. He studied at the Manuel Saumell, Amadeo Roldán conservatories and at the Higher Institute of Art of Havana.
His first major performance took place in 2006, at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival, where he was discovered by acclaimed music producer Quincy Jones who proposed to be his manager. Three years later, in 2009, after crossing the border from Mexico with the United States, Alfredo Rodríguez Jr. moved to the United States and began a new phase in his life, guided and produced by the influential Quincy Jones.
Alfredo’s debut album, Sounds of Space, produced by Jones himself, was released in 2012.
His second album, also co-produced by his mentor Quincy Jones, The Invasion Parade, came out in 2014. The Invasion Parade explores his memories of Cuba, the people and culture he left behind, and finds his new place. Guests include bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding and percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martínez.
Discography:
Sounds of Space (Mack Avenue, 2012)
The Invasion Parade (Mack Avenue Records, 2014)
Tocororo (Mack Avenue MAC1109, 2016)
The Little Dream (Mack Avenue MAC1130, 2018)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
