Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez
The stories of Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez may seem similar at first: both started life in Havana, discovered their gifts and passions for music, and headed to the States, where they melded the music of their homeland with a wide variety of influences, each in his own deeply personal way. Zoom in a little, though, and the two paths differ considerably. Rodriguez was born into a musical family and was discovered by Quincy Jones while performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Martinez, on the other hand, honed his craft on the streets of Havana, learning the deeply-rooted percussion and vocal style of Afro-Cuban folkloric and religious music. Their first duo outing, Duologue, released in 2019, finds the pair exploring a range of moods and influences, from Cuban classics to collaborative original compositions to a number of unexpected favorites. Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez will be at Babylon on October 8 as part of the 35th Akbank Jazz Festival.
Alfredo Rodriguez: Piano, vocals
Pedrito Martinez: Percussion, vocals