Grammy-nominated pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and percussionist Pedrito Martinez played Kingsbury Hall last Friday, and it was an absolute thrill ride.
If the duo proved anything by their visit, it’s that they were probably always meant to play as a duo. Each has his own thriving career, but combined they’re able to feed off one another’s energy and obvious gifts, easily sharing the spotlight. Rodriguez has a brand new album out — filled with popular music given the Cuban retreatment, including Europe’s “The Final Countdown,” which they opened the show with — but it hardly seemed the reason why they were there. Instead, they used the night to share passion and joy (so much joy).
Singing, Drumming and Dancing with Latin Flair
There were solos on piano and on a beautiful set of conga drums. There was singing, occasional dancing and even a flag of Cuba that was briefly held up to cheers. And given Rodriguez’s history with producer Quincy Jones, they even shared what “Thriller” sounds like through their Latin filters. The duo also played what is now my favorite take on “Hotel California,” the best I’ve heard. Period.
Standing ovations were frequent and always earned. It’s almost a shame that the artists requested no photos or videos be taken of the performance, if only to relive all that transpired some more. On the flipside of that, it allowed those gathered to pay closer attention. It feels like a legendary night, a tale you might tell and retell, share and reshare.
While an evening of music can always uplift, this performance felt like something far more. It’d be easy to compare them to, oh, anything in the Buena Vista Social Club catalog or even Mongo Santamaría, but that won’t happen, not here. What they provide forces them to stand out as originals in their field, and that’s a nice place to be.
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