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Alfredo featured in LA Times, La Opinion, Gibson News
12 June, 2009
This Sunday, Alfredo will make his debut public performance since defecting from Cuba less than 5 months ago at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the 31st Annual Playboy Jazz Festival. The show starts at 2pm, and Alfredo’s set will begin at 3pm — immediately preceding one of his most important mentors and influencers — Wayne Shorter. We’re thrilled to share that The Los Angeles Times, La Opinion and Gibson News have reported on Alfredo and his performance this Sunday. Below are some excerpts from what the articles said about Alfredo.
In the June 9th 2009 issue of La Opinion, Alfredo got a pretty special testimonial in the story titled, “Padrino para debut-Alfredo Rodríguez llega al Playboy Jazz festival bajo ala de Quincy Jones” (by Martha Sarabia of La Opinion) :
“I saw (Alfredo Rodriguez) for the first time in Switzerland when he was 20 years old, three years ago. I couldn’t believe he was playing as well as he was. And you never forget when somebody plays that well. He is very special and I do not say that easily because been I have been surrounded by the best musicians in the world my entire life and he is one of the best.” — Quincy Jones
On June 8th 2009, in the article titled, “Cuban Piano Prodigy Takes U.S. by Storm,” Gabriel J. Hernandez of Gibson News reported:
“Cuban piano sensation Alfredo Rodriguez had a feeling he could find success playing music in the United States. He just didn’t think it would happen so fast.”
In the article, “Playboy Jazz Festival plays to wide audience,” in the June 10th 2009 issue of The Los Angeles Times, writer Christ Barton noted:
Part of the fun of a festival like Playboy is a sense of discovery, and amid all the familiar faces on this weekend’s bill is Alfredo Rodríguez, a 23-year-old Cuban pianist who defected in January and will make his U.S. festival debut Sunday. Discovered by über-producer Quincy Jones at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 2006, Rodríguez wowed a SXSW crowd with a brief performance earlier this year…Rodríguez feels honored to be playing what he views as one of the biggest, most important jazz festivals in the country. When asked who he’s most looking forward to seeing, Rodríguez doesn’t hesitate.