deliciously dynamic jazz drum debut Willy Rodriguez – SEEING SOUNDS: This listen is a “first” for us; totally fitting since this is drummer Willy’s deliciously dynamic jazz drum debut album, set to release on 29 March, 2024. No videos were available of the group that played (yet), so here’s a short of Willy at work on his drums, to give you an idea of his “feel” for the music…
If you SUBSCRIBE to Willy’s YouTube channel, you’ll find several other performances to enjoy… I signed up right away.
Of course Willy’s drums are prominent, but you’ll also hear fantastic work from trumpeter Jason Palmer, saxophonist Hery Paz, pianist Leo Genovese, bassists John Hébert and Kenneth Jimenez, and special guest artist, saxophonist Dave Liebman, as well as sound designer Tehn Vega… one of the tunes that really stood out for me is the 6:15 “Waltz Dilemma“… a Hery’s sax work on this song just shimmers with life!
It was easy to make my choice for personal favorite of the eleven exciting songs offered up… the 5:32 “Guani” (a Caribbean hummingbird) gives jazz fans inclined towards the improvised an absolutely fascinating journey that will never be forgotten!
I give Willy and all his players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.99. Check out the release on Willy’s Bandcamp page (below)…
