Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodríguez will perform in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first time at this year’s Jazz Fest Sarajevo, taking place from November 5 to 8. Together with his trio, he will plays at the National Theatre Sarajevo on November 6.

Born in Havana into a musical family, Alfredo Rodríguez first played drums as a child, began studying piano at the age of 10, and by 14 was regularly performing in his father’s orchestra while attending music school. A turning point in his life came when his uncle gave him Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert, a record left behind by his former tenant. That gift sparked his fascination with improvisation, which in 2006 led him to the Montreux Jazz Festival, where he represented Cuba as one of 12 selected musicians. On that stage, he was “discovered” by the legendary Quincy Jones, who became his mentor and co-producer.

Since then, Rodríguez’s international career has risen rapidly. Today, he is a world-class instrumentalist who has captivated audiences around the globe, performing on prestigious stages in more than 70 countries. He earned a Grammy nomination for his arrangement of Guantanamera from the album The Invasion Parade, and has collaborated with artists such as Esperanza Spalding, Richard Bona, and Pedrito Martínez.

His music reflects the memory of Cuba, the people and culture he left behind in pursuit of his own path – the path of music. At the same time, it expresses the moving experience of a migrant in Los Angeles and Miami, transforming those journeys into stories universally understood without words. Rodríguez’s artistry allows us to hear familiar tunes in a fresh and unexpected way, making him a true symbol of jazz and improvisation without borders – whether performing his own compositions or reimagining classics like Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Bésame Mucho.

In Sarajevo, he will perform with bassist Panagiotis Andreou and drummer Michael Olivera. Listen to their performance of the legendary Thriller.

Tickets for the Sarajevo concert of the Alfredo Rodríguez Trio are available at this link.