Cuban pianist Rodriguez finds stateside welcome

By Gail Mitchell

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Talk about a dream come true. Just five months after being granted political asylum in the United States, the Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez won a place on the slate of performers at the 31st annual Playboy Jazz Festival. And that's not all. The jazz/classical enthusiast is also working on his first album with an industry icon: Quincy Jones.

It all started three years when Rodriguez applied to play at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. The Cuban government approved his application, and Rodriguez was later asked to play at festival founder Claude Nobs' house, where he presented an arrangement of Cole Porter's "I Love You." Among the guests that night was Jones.

"I was completely blown away," recalled Rodriguez, who speaks some English but also uses an interpreter.

Upon returning to the United States, Jones stayed in contact with Rodriguez through the former's production company. Seizing the chance to pursue his craft stateside, Rodriguez defected while in Mexico doing a show with his father, a well-known singer in Cuba with the same name. Making his way to the Texas border, Rodriguez officially entered the States on January 15.

Born in Havana, the 23-year-old Rodriguez began playing the piano at age 7. With musical influences ranging from Bach and Beethoven to mentor Jones and Thelonious Monk, Rodriguez later honed his skills as a producer and musical director. He has collaborated with a host of Cuban artists including Gaston Joya, Michael Olivera, musicians in the Buena Vista Social Club and his father.

"This kid is something else," said Jones, who chose the pianist to play as part of his keynote speech at this year's South by Southwest music conference. "He has perfect pitch, composes, arranges and practices 12 hours a day. He never stops."

Now based in Los Angeles, Rodriguez will appear June 14 at the Playboy festival at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl, joined by Nathan East on bass and fellow Cuban Francisco Mela on drums. Between recording and negotiating a label deal for his debut album, Rodriguez is slated to perform at other jazz festivals this summer, including Monterey and Newport.

"The U.S. is one of the biggest melting music pots in the world," he said. "I'm looking forward to playing with some of this country's incredible musicians."

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)