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Rodney Green

Some people seek out a career in music, and some just cannot escape it. As an only child growing up in Philadelphia, gospel music and musical instruments surrounded Rodney Green at home and in church, where he spent most of his time. His father was a preacher and organist, and his mother sang in church. Rodney was drawn to the drum kit, and by age three, would climb on the kit play whenever possible.

By his early teens, Green was playing drums in church, but outside he was being exposed to other kinds of music like jazz. His older cousin, also a musician, introduced Rodney to jazz, funk, and soul music, and (along with his high school band teacher) started him listening records like, “A Love Supreme,” “Transition,” and “Four More”. He was blown away by Elvin Jones and Tony Williams—all of the sounds they got out of the drums as well as their range, style and technique. Rodney soon realized that music could be a profession, and not just a hobby. He knew that playing the drums was his calling.

Percussionist Scott Robinson was impressed with Rodney’s playing but realized the young drummer didn’t realize what he was doing, since he was just playing by ear. Robinson offered to teach him for free, and at 14 years old, Rodney got his first lesson.

It wasn’t long before the young musician started to sneak out to local clubs to see live music and play gigs. He got to know many of the up and coming musicians on the Philadelphia jazz scene including pianist, Orrin Evans, trumpeter, Duane Eubanks, and bassist Christian McBride. At the age of 16, friend and drummer Brian Frasier Moore left his gig at Patti LaBelle’s club, Chez LaBelle, and Rodney took over. He influenced the club’s manager to start a Sunday Jazz Brunch, and soon Green was booking musicians like pianist, Evans and saxophonist Sam Newsome at the club. Legendary musician, Bobby Watson was so impressed with the young drummer that he called his parents to ask their permission to take Green to Italy with him, and after much persuasion, they agreed.

By age 17 Green, still in high school, was traveling internationally and doing an occasional gig in New York City. After such an occasion, legendary drummer Billy Higgins unexpectedly walked into Sweet Basil, and finished a set. Rodney went home and packed his bags. His desire to make his mark on the jazz scene had intensified, and one week after graduation, Green took the money that he had saved money from his gigs, and moved to the New York. He got on the scene and quickly developed a name for himself. He was a favorite sub and at only 17 years old, had a remarkable range and a reputation for being an extremely professional young musician. Word continued to spread about the talented young drummer, and Green spent the next couple of years playing with the likes of Christian McBride, Eric Reed, Greg Osby, Joe Henderson, Benny Green, Tom Harrell, and Mulgrew Miller.

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Liner Notes

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Privy to the entire history of jazz trombone via the technological age in which we live, Wycliffe Gordon seems to have utilized this information in such a way that his own playing displays elements from various periods and a technical competence that is indeed remarkable. “I was most familiar, at first, with guys who played with Louis Armstrong, namely Trummy Young or Kid Ory and later on Jack Teagarden," says Gordon about the early years in his development. “Later I ...

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Read "Dida Pelled: A Missing Shade Of Blue" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


In a way, A Missing Shade Of Blue is a throwback to an earlier era, when Grant Green, “Brother" Jack McDuff, Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith, and numerous others were bringing the guitar and organ together to create beautiful music for the people. Yet this record doesn't necessarily fit with the work of those artists. Why, you ask? Well, for one, we live in a different time. But the era isn't necessarily the crux of the matter. The scope of ...

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Liner Notes

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Read "Adam Shulman Septet: West Meets East" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


Quiet as it's kept, too many of today's finest jazz artists are given short shrift by an industry that seems to value product of a fleeting nature over true craft and a reverence for the jazz legacy. This makes it particularly challenging for a talent like Adam Shulman to break through to a wider audience. A fixture on the Bay Area scene since 2002, the pianist has a knack for accompanying singers such as Paula West and often performs as ...

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Album Review

Jihee Heo: Are You Ready?

Read "Are You Ready?" reviewed by Paul Rauch


Since arriving in New York from Incheon, South Korea, via studies in Amsterdam, pianist/composer Jihee Heo has made a name for herself through a broad spectrum on the jazz scene in Gotham. Heo's debut album, Passion (Heonah Music, 2015), featured strong compositions and arrangements for large ensemble, with experimental elements sprinkled in the mix. With her new release, Are You Ready? , she breaks down her artistic voice to the piano trio, employing dynamic drummer Rodney Green, and bassist Marty ...

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Album Review

Adam Shulman Septet: West Meets East

Read "West Meets East" reviewed by Jack Bowers


The “west" here is represented by San Francisco-based pianist and group leader Adam Shulman, the “east" by the other half-dozen members of Shulman's impressive septet. Even though the reasons that led to the alliance are ambiguous, what matters is the payoff, and that is more than admirable from any vantage point. As if to mirror the ensemble's six-and-one makeup, Shulman wrote six of the album's seven engaging numbers; the seventh (the rapid-fire “Whose Blues") was composed by ...

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Read "Live At Jazzhus Montmartre" reviewed by Chris Mosey


At the age of three, at the church in Camden, New Jersey, where his father was pastor, Rodney Green saw a drum kit for the first time. He stared at it, fascinated; it was so big and shiny. He thought to himself, “OK, let's play some drums." He wasn't supposed to play jazz, it was the devil's music. But he just couldn't help himself. Now Green says, “In every memory I have, I play the drums." At the ...

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Album Review

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Read "A Missing Shade of Blue" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Guitarist and vocalist Dida Pelled previous Red Records release, Dida Pelled: Plays and Sings (Red Records, 2011) was one of my pics for Best-of-the-Year in 2011). That recording was so refreshingly organic that it has remained in my listening rotation since that time. Pelled snuck in a self-produced Modern Love Songs (2015) between Plays and Sings and the present A Missing Shade of Blue. It is as exceptional as the first recording. That said, expectations for A Missing Shade of ...

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Performance / Tour

Rodney Green with Special Guest Ron Carter, Fri & Sat 18 & 19 Sets at 9 & 11PM

Rodney Green with Special Guest Ron Carter, Fri & Sat 18 & 19 Sets at 9 & 11PM

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Cachaa 35 West 8th St (bet. 5th & 6th Aves.) NYC * tel 212-388-9099 $10 Minimum New York City's Newest Jazz Hang In The Heart of Greenwich Village Fri & Sat 18 & 19 Rodney Green with Special Guest Ron Carter featuring Mulgrew Miller Lage Lund Two shows 9 & 11 $20 UPCOMING SHOWS AT CACHACA Tues Jan 15 7pm ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Momenta

Sounderscore
2021

buy

Sofijazz

Archival Records
2020

buy

West Meets East

Cellar Records
2020

buy

Are You Ready?

OA2 Records
2020

buy

Live At Jazzhus...

Storyville Records
2017

buy

Are You Ready?

From: Are You Ready?
By Rodney Green

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