Q&A with Cuban Defector and Quincy Jones Protege Alfredo Rodríguez Ahead of Jul 28 and 29 Blue Note Gigs

Q&A With Cuban Defector and Quincy Jones Protege Alfredo Rodríguez Ahead of Jul 28-29 Blue Note Gigs

Kyle Mullin | Jul 24, 2018 11:30 am | Add a comment | 2570 reads

From being an illegal immigrant to becoming the prodigy of the music’s most famous producer, Alfredo Rodríguez’s journey has been one of extreme risk, sacrifice, and success. The 32-year-old Cuban pianist first caught the eye of music mastermind Quincy Jones – famed for producing Michael Jackson’s Thriller, among other smash hits – at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in 2009. Jones was so impressed by Rodríguez’s that he offered to take the burgeoning artist under his wing. However, the political rifts between their nations proved more fraught than either imagined, keeping their collaboration from gaining any traction. That is until Rodríguez made the bold decision to not return to Cuba after a gig in Mexico, but instead defect to the US.

Ever since applying for asylum, Jones and his team have helped Rodríguez settle in and flourish as an artist. Together they have released four albums, for which Rodríguez even received a Grammy nomination in 2015. Ahead of his Jul 28 and 29 Blue Note Beijing shows, Rodríguez tells us more about working with the masterful Jones, what he thought about the elder musician’s recent controversial claims about Marlon Brando’s affair with Richard Pryor, and the current state of asylum seeking in the States.

Tell us about your decision to risk it all and defect to the US.
Quincy is a legend – the biggest producer of all time – and he wants to help you, I couldn't miss that opportunity. It was a dream since I was a child, to be here and to learn from so many cultures. One thing I like about the US is it’s a multicultural country, and so many people trying to make dreams happen.

At the time I saw it as my only option. I asked for political asylum at the border, and you can imagine how difficult that was coming from Cuba because I didn't know when I’d see my family again. Quincy and his team helped. It was an extremely difficult decision, but I'm very happy. It changed my life in so many ways.

It couldn’t have been easy, but at the same time, your border crossing was far easier than what so many asylum seekers are enduring now.
Yes, and it’s so difficult to see. Immigration is a very delicate and difficult topic, but at the same time I’m a human being, and every time I see a kid separated from their parents I'm going to suffer.

It’s very difficult to see what’s happening in the world. There’s so much division between human beings. We even put borders between shows. If I play Cuban music many won’t consider me a jazz artist, and many people would look down at someone for playing that style if they aren’t from Cuba. There are so many divisions we put between each other. There are so many things I don't understand in this world. I think it should be more simple.

What do you mean by that?
A happy, peaceful, very simple life – that is the message I want to convey with my music. I want to give people a message of unity. I want to share my humble life with people, my story of coming from a country that is small, and defecting to a big country like the US. I want them to see my pain and feel my message through my music.

How has Quincy helped you do that?
As a producer, he has been so impressive. He has so much beautiful knowledge but he doesn’t want to impose it on you, he wants you to be yourself. He wants to create the best out of you, and that means expressing yourself and trying to live your life. He will definitely open your eyes, as a musician and also as a human being, which is even more important. I’ve been working with him for almost 10 years, and it has been a beautiful journey.

He sounds very wise and zen indeed. And yet, many readers saw another side of Quincy when he gave a controversial interview a few months back with Vulture, letting loose with all kinds of gossip.
Now, I wasn't there for that interview [laughs], and I haven't even talked to him about it. I did read it, and what I can tell you is that, yes, he’s very direct. He’ll tell you whatever he thinks. But when I speak with him he seems very open-minded, and someone who has beautiful things to say about people. I think he is someone who cares about where we’re going, not only with music but also as human beings. I’ve had the great opportunity to learn from him, and everything I have experienced has been positive.

What’s your favorite Quincy Jones song?
So many. I love everything he did for Michael, of course. But I also love the arrangements he did for Frank Sinatra.

There’s also a great live album that Quincy did with Mile Davis in 1991 at Montreaux. I love that CD. There’s Miles on the trumpet, and Quincy is arranging for him. It’s very cool.

He has also made some great soundtracks for films and TV, which people don't pay as much attention to. Sometimes my band and I will play an interpretation of a song he did The Lost Man soundtrack a film that starred Sidney Portier.

What are some of your other favorites that you like to play live?
We also love to play the song “Thriller”. We’ll play it in the Cuban timba style.

Timba?
Yes, a genre of Cuban music that emerged in the late ‘80s when my country was having an especially difficult time economically. I’m not sure what would come close to it, though hip-hop comes to mind, because it comes from the underground and people are creating it from their struggle and hardship. So I do a timba version of “Thriller". It’s hard to describe if you haven’t heard it. It’s a bit like salsa but not quite, because it’s funkier. We’ll play this version in Beijing, and I can’t wait for you all to hear it!