Alfredo Rodriguez in Houston

Alfredo Rodriguez is a Cuban pianist and composer, born in Havana in 1985, who plays jazz rooted in Afro-Cuban rhythm and melody. His best-known recordings include Sounds of Space, The Invasion Parade, Tocororo and Duologue, a collaboration with percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martinez. At the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival, Alfredo Rodriguez met Quincy Jones, who became his mentor and producer. He later toured as a piano-and-percussion duo with Pedrito Martinez, and the partnership was documented in a performance for NPR’s Tiny Desk.

Pedrito Martinez is a Cuban percussionist, singer and bandleader, born in Havana in 1973 and based in the United States. He plays Afro-Cuban rumba, timba and Latin jazz, first reaching a broad audience as a founding member of Yerba Buena before leading the Pedrito Martinez Group. His recordings include the self-titled Pedrito Martinez, Habana Dreams and Acertijos. In 2005, Martinez began a long-running residency at Guantanamera in Manhattan, where his ensemble developed its repertoire through frequent performances. The Pedrito Martinez Group later brought that percussion-led format to concert halls and jazz festivals, including the Kennedy Center in Washington and Lincoln Center.