Alfredo Rodríguez Trio
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS Saturday, January 29, 2012, 7pm Hertz Hall Alfredo Rodríguez Trio Alfredo Rodríguez, piano Peter Slavov, bass Francisco Mela, drums PROGRAM Tonight’s performance will be announced from the stage and feature two sets with one intermission. Cal Performances’ 2011–2012 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo. CAL PERFORMANCES 29 ABOUT THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE ARTISTS orn in havana, cuba, pianist Alfredo Born in Helsinki, Finland, to his music, Mr. Mela became acquainted with BRodríguez trained at the famous Manuel the family of legendary various faculty members at the Berklee School of Saumell Classical Music Conservatory, then at Bulgarian drummer Peter Music and he was eventually offered the oppor- the Amadeo Roldan Music Conservatory and Slavov Sr., Peter Slavov has tunity to join the faculty at the music conserva- subsequently at the Instituto Superior de Arte. been playing bass since the tory. He has enjoyed his position here, where he His lucky break came in 2006 when he was age of twelve. As a young man teaches a course Afro-Cuban and Brazilian per- selected as one of twelve pianists from around he traveled and toured exten- cussion and provides private lessons for more the world to play at the prestigious Montreux Krzysztof Wojciechowski sively in Bulgaria and became than two dozen music students. After less than a Jazz Festival. In Montreux, he struck a chord in well known for his jazz musicianship. In 1997, decade as a drummer and a composer in the legendary music producer Quincy Jones, who he received the Best Composition Award at the United States, Mr. Mela can be counted as one noticed Mr. Rodríguez’s talent and decided Plovdiv International Jazz Festival. In 1998, of the most illustrious Afro-Cuban musicians of to begin working with him. In January 2009, Mr. Slavov received a scholarship from the his generation. He worked with musician Jane Mr. Rodríguez made the difficult decision to Berklee School of Music and in 1999 moved to Burnett, who invited Mr. Mela to join her band leave his family and country behind and pursue Boston to attend the music conservatory. Since Spirits of Havana, anchoring the rhythm section a career in music in the United States. moving to the United States, Mr. Slavov has per- of her Grammy Award-nominated album Cuban In his first two years since moving to the formed and recorded with the likes of Joe Odyssey as an. His first solo album, entitled United States, Mr. Rodríguez has played to ca- Lovano, Danilo Pérez, George Garzone, Kevin Melao, released on the Spanish-based record la- pacity crowds at the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Mahogany and Simon Shaheen. He has per- bel AYVA Musica, features a cadre of jazz greats, Hollywood Bowl, the SXSW Music Festival in formed at some of the most prestigious venues including Joe Lovano, George Garzone, Lionel Austin, the Detroit Jazz Festival, the Monterey around the world, including the Monterey Jazz Louke and Peter Slavov. Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival and many Festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Umbria others. In July 2010, Mr. Rodríguez undertook Jazz Festival, the Paris Jazz Festival, La Cigale in his first European tour with his Trio, playing at Paris, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the the 16th International Open Air (Poland), Jazz Blue Note in New York. Mr. Slavov has been à Vienne (France), North Sea (Netherlands), featured on television and radio programs on Umbria (Italy) and Montreux jazz festivals and CBC, PBS and TF1 (France), among many oth- with the Quincy Jones Global Gumbo All Stars, ers. As the house bassist at historic Wally’s Café a group featuring Richard Bona, Lionel Loueke, in Boston, Mr. Slavov has accompanied the likes Paulinho da Costa, Francisco Mela and Nikki of Wynton Marsalis and Roy Hargrove. He now Yanofsky. He has built an enormous presence in resides in New York City. China after co-writing, with Quincy Jones, the song “Better City, Better Life,” which was cho- Born in 1968, in the small sen to be the Official Theme Song of the 2010 town of Bayamo, Cuba, Shanghai World Expo. He has since played to drummer Francisco Mela influential crowds at the 2010 Shanghai Film was pointed towards mu- Festival and the 2010 Shanghai Tourist Festival. sic from a young age Mr. Rodríguez’s debut CD was released through the encourage- in early 2011 on Qwest Records, with influ- ment of his father. He fos- ences from Bach, Beethoven and Stravinsky to tered his love of jazz music Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and percussion after en- and Quincy Jones being displayed prominently. Krzysztof Wojciechowski rolling in the El Yare In Mr. Rodríguez’s words, “Everything I learn, Music School in the small town of Bayamo. in all aspects of my life, contributes to my mu- Eventually he moved on to the Cuban capital of sic.” In the words of Quincy Jones, “He is very Havana and later continued to his pursue his special, and I do not say that easily because I love of jazz music by moving to Boston, where have been surrounded by the best musicians in he played at venues like Wally’s Café, where he the world my entire life and he is one of the best.” was featured as the house drummer. Through 30 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 31.