Jay Rodriguez/WCS

You might hear Jay Rodriguez and wonder, “Is there anything you can’t do?” The fact is, it might be tough to track down something along Jay’s musical continuum that he hasn’t done. A versatile bandleader, with flute, clarinet and saxophone chops, the Colombia-born, New York City-bred musician is profoundly talented and incredibly prolific. Since graduating from the New York School of Performing Arts and attending the New School of Jazz at its inception alongside Larry Goldings, Brad Mehldau and Roy Hargrove. He has had musical adventures in salsa with Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Paquito D’Rivera, pop/hip-hop with Prince, Guru, the Wu-Tang Clan, DJ Premier and Groove Collective, straight-ahead with Doc Cheatham, Mingus Big Band, David Murray, Craig Harris, Jason Miles and Miles Davis. He has played alongside Joe Lovano, Gil Evans, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, Bernie Worrell and Joan Osborne, to name a few. His original work is daring, groovy, breathtaking and soulful, sometimes all at once. His new recording, Your Sound: Live at Dizzy’s Club, captures all of lovely rawness in real time. Accompanied by Billy Harper on tenor sax, Larry Willis on piano. Eric Wheeler on bass, JT Lewis on drums and percussionist Billy Martin, Rodriguez frees himself up to showcase his work on saxes, flutes, and bass clarinet. The result is magical. Over his career, Rodriguez has tackled composition, arranging, accompanying, and leading. It is high time for the world to hear all the wonderful things Jay Rodriguez—musician, personality, iconoclast, and innovator—has to offer.

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