Most our readers won’t even fluster if we inform them that next April 5th, guitar player Norberto Rodriguez will perform at Fabrica de Arte Cubano. However, Norberto is an outstanding figure when it comes to electric guitar. If we start by saying that since the early 90’s his name has been close to other important figures such as Isaac Delgado, Afrocuba, Habana Ensemble and Pablo Milanés, we may start gettingour readers’ attention.
Ever since his mother infected him with the virus of music, in Quemado de Guines (Villa Clara) where he was born, Rodriguez hasn’t, not even for a second, been away from music, regardless of its genre: boleros, traditional farmers’ music, classic jazz or rock. After graduating from the National School of Arts (ENA by its acronym in Spanish) in 1992, he did some teaching at that very same school where he worked with renowned Cuban singers and bands, particularly with Afrocuba and Habana Ensemble, with which he did a crucial work in terms of assessing electric guitar in fusion.
In 1998 he won the first award in the first edition of Jojazz. He is one of the most consistent representatives of the Cuban guitar school, with an incredible interpretation capacity that allows him to move confidently among jazz, blues, rock and son.
Norberto has been living in Spain forover a decade –there he has collaborated with the band “Juan Perro” and he is leading the project “Norberto Rodríguez Trió”. Nowadays, he is an illustrious stranger for the Cuban audience. Fortunately, next Saturday, April 5, music lovers in Cuba will have the chance to meet with this talented musician who saves no resources when he grabs in his hands that endless instrument called guitar.
Author
Rafael González Escalona
