Luis

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Luis Rodríguez
P.O. Box 55003 Station 1
Bayamon, PR 00960

Luis Rodríguez was born in Bayamón Puerto Rico on February 1978. Luis started his musical education at the age of 12 at the “Escuela Libre de Musica Ernesto Ramos Antonini” in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. After playing the violin for a year Luis quickly moved to the saxophone where he found a more suitable voice for expression.

In 1997 at age 18 Rodríguez won a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music. Luis finally moved to Boston in 1998 to start his education. In Berklee Luis was greatly influenced by professors Greg Hopkins and Ted Pease who encourage Luis to develop his compositional skills. It was Ted Pease who encourage Luis to form his own band to give life to his music. Also, while in Berklee Luis established lasting friendships with professors Victor Mendoza, Eguie Castrillo and Eduardo Tancredi becoming part of their respective groups.

Alter graduating from Berklee in 2001 with a degree in Jazz Composition; Luis continued his education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst from which he graduated in 2003 with a Masters in Jazz Composition and Arranging. At this time Luis started his career as a performer in the New England area.

In 2003 Rodríguez rejoined the groups of Victor Mendoza, Eguie Castrillo and Eduardo Tancredi, with this last one Luis collaborated on his album Ongoing Dreams with Antonio Sanchez, Miguel Zenón, Jerry Bergonzi and Dino Govonni among many others.

After a year of extensive performance in the New England Area, and having shared the stage with musicians such as Giovanni Hidalgo, David Sanchez, Miguel Zenon, Boby Sanabria, Danilo Pérez and Paquito D’Rivera among others. Luis moved back to Puerto Rico to begin planning his first album. In Puerto Rico Luis quickly became faculty of the Inter American University, the Conservatorio de Artes del Caribe and the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico.

Shortly after settling in Puerto Rico, Luis established his group with bassist Ramón Vázquez, pianist Yan Carlos Artime and drummer Efraín Martínez. The Luis Rodríguez Quartet first appearance was in June 2005 at the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest. On 2006 Luis recorded "U-Turn", his first album as a leader. The album was released under the Fresh Sound New Talent label on September of the same year. U-Turn features Miguel Zenón on Alto Saxophone, Luis Perdomo on Piano, Ramón Vázquez on Bass and Efraín Martínez on Drums. Luis currently has perform internationally on Spain, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Luis uses Selmer Series III saxophones, Vandoren Reeds and Otto Link mouthpieces.

The international launch of the first cd of the Puertorican jazz saxofonist Luis Rodríguez sticks out as the most important news in the recording world this week in Puerto Rico.
Jaime Torres Torres
Periodico El Nuevo Día

An ambitious project featuring two things: the killing new Latin jazz style that's slowly becoming common, and a great band. Included are Rodriguez on saxophones, who's joined by Miguel Zenon on two tracks, and Luis Perdomo on piano, Ramon Vazquez on bass and Efrain Martinez on drums. Rodriguez is a serious composer, and the control over the dynamics of the band and the material is worth thinking about, going back to Miles Davis' mid-'60s band, where quietude wells up between sound. The pieces take their time, and the language that everyone uses is completely up-to-date. If you want to check into what's happening today, this will tell you. It's also superfine music. Highly Recommended.
Peter Watrous
Descarga.com

…based on various classical modes, with vamps sections mixed in with rhythms, which often emanate from Puerto Rican folklore. Every one of his songs has unexpected little twists and turns. As a player, his tenor sound is soft but passionate (maybe somewhat Shorternish at times, at others vaguely reminiscent of Mark Turner), with his soprano even stronger. An excellent debut.
Tom Hall
Jazzwise Magazine