Pete Rodriguez Quintet

Trumpeter, composer, vocalist percussionist and educator, Dr. Pete Rodríguez, carries the bloodline of Nuyorican salsa as he takes the tradition of Afro-Cuban jazz to new places. The son of renowned salsero Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez and godson of Fania Records bandleader Johnny Pacheco, the younger Rodríguez cut his teeth backing up some of the greatest names in Latin music. He became his father’s musical director at the age of 19. Coached by pianist Oscar Hernandez, the former director for “El Conde” and Ruben Blades, Rodríguez was playing trumpet, singing coro, playing maracas and giving cues to the band. As a vocalist, he sang on Tito Puente’s Grammy-award winning Mambo Birdland. As an instrumentalist, he’s appeared with legends including Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Chico O’Farrill and Bebo Valdez. Now, as a bandleader, Rodríguez is drawing on these experiences to take his brand of Afro-Cuban jazz in exciting new directions. Rodríguez’s music comes from a deeply personal place, reflecting on his connections to his father and heritage, as well as other unexpected influences. Rodríguez lived through the birth of Hip Hop during his early childhood in the Bronx, New York. As a sharp contrast, after moving to Puerto Rico, he focused on classical music, performing trumpet with the Symphony of Puerto Rico at the young age of 15. While in the United States Army, he discovered his love for jazz and made it the focus of his professional and educational pursuits after leaving the military. The diversity of these life experiences can be heard both in Rodríguez’s compositions and playing style. While pursuing his musical career, Rodríguez has also always made time for prioritizing education. He holds his bachelor & master of music degrees in Jazz from Rutgers University and obtained his doctorate of musical arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. Rodríguez has been featured in the New York Times, Downbeat, JazzTimes, Jazziz, Latin Jazz Network and more. Quickly becoming a fixture in the New York Jazz scene, Jon Beshay has proven himself to be a skilled and versatile instrumentalist, performing with a variety of musicians and ensembles from the WDR Big Band in Cologne to jazz titans Ron Carter, Eric Reed, Christian McBride and even with playwright Taylor Mac. Often featured on multiple instruments, his ability to transition between multiple instruments has added to his flexible nature as a performer. Originally from southeast Michigan, Beshay’s musical interest first manifested itself while hearing musicians from Detroit’s vibrant jazz scene. Detroit would go on to play a pivotal role in shaping his musical style during his early education as an artist. One can hear the driving hard bop style and blues that is quintessential to the Detroit jazz aesthetic. He has served as musical director for both Winard Harper and Philip Harper, providing arrangements and compositions to both bands that have become lasting contributions to each band’s repertoire. He also served as composer and musical head for the off-Broadway production, (a) Loft Modulation. Written by Jaymes Jorsling and directed by Christopher McElroen, the music added a “vital burst of inspiration” to the production. Currently residing in Brooklyn, Beshay leads his own band performing original works, with regular appearances as both a leader and sideman at NYC venues including Smalls, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ornithology and Birdland. He is a graduate of Michigan State’s Jazz Studies program and holds a masters degree from Manhattan Schools of Music. Esteban Castro is a 20-year-old pianist and composer based in New York City. He performs internationally with his own band and as an in-demand sideman. Among others, he has played with Billy Drummond, Francesco Cafiso, Gilad Hekselman, Giveton Gelin, Joe Farnsworth, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Marcus Miller, Mark Whitfield, Russell Hall, Ted Nash, and Wayne Escoffery. As a leader and a sideman, has performed at venues such as The Blue Note, The Montreux Jazz Festival, NPR Tiny Desk, Birdland, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Jazz Gallery, and Smalls. He has also toured around the US and in Australia, Canada, France, Indonesia, Italy, Hong Kong, Peru, Singapore, and Switzerland. Esteban is currently a junior at the Juilliard School on a full scholarship, and he studies privately with Fred Hersch. Esteban started playing the piano at age 4, and quickly found himself improvising and composing at a very young age. This led to the beginning of his jazz journey at age 6. At age 9, he began his studies at Jazz House Kids, and a year afterwards he attended the Manhattan School of Music precollege as a double major in jazz and classical piano. At age 13, Esteban was the First Prize Winner in the Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition in 2016, making him the youngest ever to receive this award. Then, at 14, he was the youngest First Prize recipient at the 2017 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. He entered various high school programs such as the Grammy Band in 2017 and 2018, the 2019 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, and was selected as a 2019 YoungArts Finalist. He also won a variety of classical piano competitions, including the 2019 MSM Precollege Philharmonic Concerto Competition, playing Prokofiev’s 1st Piano Concerto. After graduating from high school, he won the Grand Bohemian Prize at the 2022 American Jazz Pianist Competition, and was selected among five finalists for the prestigious 2023 American Pianist Association Competition. Esteban also works as an avid composer, having composed over 50 original works, including a five movement suite for piano trio. He has garnered three ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards, and has won fifteen Downbeat Student Music Awards. In 2018, he was commissioned by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to write a big band arrangement for the Thelonious Monk 100th birthday celebration. Esteban routinely donates his time and performances to charitable causes such as the Jazz Ambassadors, the American Cancer Society, Haiti Disaster Relief, Aid to Victims of Hurricane Maria, and to provide musical instruments for needs-based students. In 2021, he led a benefit concert for the GHESKIO Haitian Global Health Alliance at the Jazz Gallery, and raised $1400 for victims of the 2021 Haiti Earthquake. This artist does not have a bio yet. This artist does not have a bio yet. This artist does not have a bio yet.