Album Notes

Mind Trip is the debut CD of trumpeter, percussionist and composer Pete Rodriguez, who has played with such music legends as Eddie Palmieri, Bebo Valdez, Celia Cruz, and Tito Puente, including performing on Tito Puente’s Grammy-winning album Mambo Birdland and the soon to be released Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project.

Mind Trip has received excellent reviews, garnering the attention of, among others, jazz great Kenny Barron, who says the following about Pete’s playing and compositions on Mind Trip:
“He possesses a full rich sound on both trumpet and flugelhorn and his technique is incredible. His articulation is precise.
[But] it is as a composer that his development is even more amazing. The melodies he writes are full of complex and quirky rhythms, making unusual dips and turns. Harmonically, his music tends to stay away from the usual II-V, II-V-I chord progression.
Each of the original compositions, of which there are eight, on this CD is a unique entity unto itself, full of surprises and strange twists and turns. However, one can be assured that Mr. Rodriguez does have a full grasp of the history of the jazz tradition. One need only listen to his reading of Mal Waldron’s beautiful ballad ‘Soul Eyes,’ or Herbie Hancock’s tone poem, ‘Dolphin Dance,’ to hear his respect and love for tradition.
I, for one, look forward to many more musical statements from this evolving young artist.”

Mind Trip was recently selected as one of six finalists (out of over 1100 submissions) to compete in the Independent Music World Series showcase in Chicago on August 17, 2006.