On Monday (October 14) a touch of Afro-Cuban jazz comes to Sage Gateshead when viruoso bassist Richard Bona teams up with piano sensation Alfredo Rodriguez. Bona, born in Cameroon, made his way via Europe to NYC's jazz hothouse having started out as a young boy making his own instruments which would later see him gracing the world's greatest concert halls. Rodriguez studied in Havana before making a name for himself at prestigious international jazz festivals - Montreux, Newport, North Sea - where he was spotted by Quincy Jones. Both musicians juggle numerous projects and it is only now that their schedules allow them to tour across Europe as a duo.
Bassist Bona's stunning technique found him in great demand with Pat Metheny, Joe Zawinul's Syndicate (the Austrian's late-career band) and others vying for his services since when he counts Branford Marsalis and Lionel Loueke as friends and band mates. Pianist Rodriguez, now in his mid-thirties, left Cuba behind to forge a career on the international stage and his recorded output includes several albums on the Mack Avenue label with his style being compared to Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and McCoy Tyner.
Sage Gateshead's reputation as a world class venue offering unrivalled performance spaces no doubt helped clinch the deal. Now, at eight o'clock on Monday evening you can be there in Sage Two to hear two masters at work. Call the ticket office on 0191 443 4661 to be book your tickets, it should be something special!
Russell
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