Bassist Ricky Rodriguez is a model of versatility on his instrument. Whatever idioms flow into the music that he's playing—jazz, Afro-Cuban, R&B—Rodriguez speaks them with conviction. It's no wonder that he's held down the bass chair for bandleaders as diverse as Joe Locke, Arturo O'Farrill, and Branford Marsalis. In his own music, Rodriguez likes to explore the fluid spaces between different styles, pushing the music in different directions from gig to gig. In a previous interview with Jazz Speaks, Rodriguez described this shape-shifting approach:

As a double bass player and electric bass player, I respect the instruments’ different sounds, from classic and acoustic to electric and crazy, you know what I mean? The bass lines that I originally wrote on acoustic, I can play on electric too, and it doesn’t sound out of context. When I compose, I try to think of those days when the airline might not let me travel with my acoustic, so I have to bring the electric. So I try to make my music work for both. I can play with Fender Rhodes or acoustic piano, and it sounds good either way.

This Friday, June 22, Rodriguez returns to The Jazz Gallery with his home base group, featuring a deep lineup of heavy hitters—saxophonists Miguel Zenon and Dayna Stephens, pianist Luis Perdomo, and drummer Rudy Royston. Before coming out to see the band take on both new and old material, check out this video of Rodriguez's record release show at the Gallery for Looking Beyond, below. The Ricky Rodriguez Group plays The Jazz Gallery on Friday, June 22, 2018. The group features Mr. Rodriguez on bass, Miguel Zenon on alto saxophone, Dayna Stephens on tenor saxophone & bass clarinet, Luis Perdomo on piano & keyboards, and Rudy Royston on drums. Sets are at 7:30 and 9:30 P.M. $25 general admission ($10 for members), $35 reserved cabaret seating ($20 for members) for each set. Purchase tickets here.