Alfredo Rodriguez – Coral Way (Avenue Records, 2023)
Alfredo Rodriguez, the renowned Cuban pianist and band leader, releases his fantastic new album Coral Way, today, August 18. The album masterfully combines Cuban sounds such as timba with salsa, bachata, tango, reggaeton, and bolero, funk, rock, African music and pop elements, highlighting an addicting fusion of musical styles.
Coral Way, holds personal significance for Rodriguez, reflecting his new life in Miami, the birth of his baby girl, and reuniting with family after leaving Cuba. Through his music, Rodriguez aims to bridge the gap between mainstream Latin music and Latin jazz, celebrating the diversity and individuality of the Hispanic community.
The album was recorded in Madrid, Spain and features the charming Portuguese-language vocals of talented Spain-based Guinea-Bissauan singer Alana Sinkëy.
Having overcome numerous challenges and achieved remarkable success, Alfredo Rodriguez’s music connects with listeners on a deeply personal level, and he continues to tour internationally, spreading his message of perseverance and cultural fusion.
Coral Way also includes the single “El Llamado” featuring Cimafunk, a fellow Cuban artist. “I was happy and honored when Alfredo reached out about doing something together for his album,” says Cimafunk. “I’ve wanted to jam out with him for a long time; he’s an incredible musician and he has that AfroCuban sound, rhythm, and flow in everything he does. We’ve both been touring nonstop so we had to record the track remotely on the road, but he’s like family, and we connected throughout the process, always having fun and enjoying the creative process, and the song ended up being a gem! I can’t wait to perform it live with Alfredo and see how the fans start to move!“
“I play what I live, and Coral Way is my new life,” says Rodriguez. “It is the name of the street on which, for the past 3 years, I have been composing this album, and now I’m excited that people from all over the world will finally get to hear it in an expansive way, with a full live band.”
Musicians: Alfredo Rodriguez on piano, keyboards; Cimafunk on vocals; Denis Cuni on trombone; Yarel Hernández on bass; Regis Molina on alto saxophone; Juanma Montoya on guitars; Michael Olivera on drums, percussion; Carlos Sarduy on trumpet; Alana Sinkëy on vocals; and Marcelo Woloski on percussion.
Buy Coral Way.
Tour Dates:
August 18: Castelsardo, Italy – Musica sulle Bocche Festival Jazz Internazionale
August 20: Makarska, Croatia – Makarska Jazz Festival
September 19: St. Louis, Missouri – City Winery
September 20: Chicago, Illinois – Constellation
September 22: Des Moines, Iowa – Civic Music Association
September 23: Madison, Wisconsin – Stoughton Opera House
September 24: St. Paul, Minnesota – Turf Club
September 27: Boston, MA – City Winery
September 28: New York City, New York – Sheen Center
October 1: North Carolina – Carolina Theatre
October 4: Boca Raton, Florida – Boca Black Box
October 5: Cocoa Beach, Florida – Heidi’s Jazz Club
October 6: Largo, Florida – Central Park Performing Arts Center
October 7: Miami, Florida – The Moss Center
October 11: Denver, Colorado – Cervantes
October 13: Greeley, Colorado – UNC Greeley
October 14: Beaver Creek, Colorado – Vilar Performing Arts Center
November 3: Madrid, Spain – Teatro Pavón
November 4: Lausanne, Switzerland – Paderewski Room Salle Paderewski
November 8: Lublin, Poland – Teatr Stary w Lublinie
November 9: Warsaw, Poland – Jassmine
November 10: Ełk, Poland – Elk Cultural Center
November 15: Novi Sad, Serbia – Novi Sad Jazz Festival
November 17: Eilat, Israel – Red Sea Jazz Festival
November 26: Mumbai, India – Mumbai Intl. Jazz Festival
February 2: Gainesville, Florida – University of Florida at Phillips Center Upstage
February 15: Rotterdam, Netherlands – LantarenVenster
February 16: Amsterdam, Netherlands – Bimhuis
February 17: Cologne, Germany – Kölner Philharmonie
February 20: Stockholm, Sweden – Fasching
February 24: Neuburg, Germany – Birdland Jazz Club Neuburg
February 25: Straubing, Bayern Germany – Hotel ASAM
March 22: Los Angeles, California – UCLA
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.