Julius Rodriguez, also known as "Orange Julius", is an American pianist, drummer and composer.[1][2][3] In 2021, Rodriguez signed with Verve Records.[4]

Julius Rodriguez
Background information
Also known asOrange Julius
Born (1998-09-04) September 4, 1998 (age 26)
OriginWhite Plains, New York
GenresJazz, gospel, soul, hip hop, pop
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboards, organ, drums, bass guitar, guitar
LabelsVerve Records
Websitewww.juliusrodriguez.com

Biography

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Early life

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Rodriguez grew up in White Plains, New York and is of Haitian descent. He began to study classical piano at an early age. He was exposed to jazz, particularly music by Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and John Coltrane through his father, an avid jazz aficionado. At age twelve, he enrolled in Manhattan School of Music's precollege division and studied there continuously throughout high school. He later studied at The Juilliard School.[1][2][5][6]

Musical career

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Rodriguez’s music integrates elements from jazz, avant-garde, R&B, hip-hop and pop music. He has drawn inspiration from The Bad Plus, Vijay Iyer and Jason Moran to find novel ways of integrating music outside of the jazz canon, including music by The Beatles.[7][3]

Rodriguez has been an active touring member of Isaiah Barr's Onyx Collective, a group which has done collaborative work with a wide range of artists, including Dave Glasser, Ratking, and members of the Wu Tang Clan. The group accompanied A$AP Rocky on a 2018 tour in which Rodriguez performed on both keyboard and guitar.[7][8]

He has worked as a sideman with Keyon Harrold, Ben Williams, Carmen Lundy, James Morrison, Jazzmeia Horn, Dev Hynes, Roy Hargrove, Macy Gray, Wynton Marsalis, Veronica Swift, Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Kurt Elling, Nick Hakim, Meshell Ndegeocello and others.[9]

Rodriguez also performs regularly as a drummer.[2]

Discography

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As leader

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Album artist Title Year Label
Julius Rodriguez Evergreen 2024 Verve
Julius Rodriguez Let Sound Tell All 2022 Verve
Julius Rodriguez Midnight Sun 2021 Verve
Julius Rodriguez Actual Proof 2021 Verve
Julius Rodriguez Butterfly 2020 After School
Julius Rodriguez Blues at the Barn 2020 Independent
Orange Julius and the Big Beat Introducing Orange Julius and the Big Beat 2015 Independent

As sideman

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Album artist Title Year Label
Brasstracks Before We Go: Live From Capitol Studios 2020 Capitol Records
Seint Monet Bloom - EP 2020 Independent
MATHIS Sound Orchestra World Unity 2020 Mathis Music
Jak Lizard Work from Home - Single 2020 Independent
JD Walter Dressed in a Song 2019 JWAL Records
Marcus Aaron FreeTape2 2019 GodKids
Carmen Lundy Modern Ancestors 2019 Afrasia Productions
Brasstracks (feat. Kyle Dion) Professional 2019 Capitol Records
Fatherhood Nervous 2019 Deathrocket Records
Brasstracks Before We Go 2019 Capitol Records
S'natra We Was Kids 2019 Independent
Kassa Overall Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz 2019 Independent
Madeline Jane Mother 2018 Independent
Damien Sneed The Three Sides of Damien Sneed: Classical, Jazz and Sanctified Soul 2018 LeChateau Earl Records
Kassa Overall Drake It Till You Make It 2018 Independent
Luke Sellick Christmas 2017 Independent
Sara Decker Group Long Distance 2017 Independent
Morgan Guerin The Saga II 2017 Independent
Morgan Guerin The Saga 2016 Independent
Mark Bozzuti-Jones Jazz Out!: Them Irie Psalms 2014 Independent

References

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  1. ^ a b Milkowski, Bill. "12 New Jazz Artists to Watch in 2019" (HMTL). paste magazine. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c KATSOBASHVILI, Michael (November 10, 2015). "The Jazz Youth-Quake: Others on the Upswing" (HMTL). Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Video Interview: Drummer/ Pianist Julius Rodriguez" (HMTL). I Spy Soul. February 15, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  4. ^ "The Deals: Phoebe Bridgers Signs Third Artist; 'Blippi' Label Teams Up With UMG". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  5. ^ Demoss Smith, Deborah. "Notations From — Julius Rodriguez, Part I of II" (HMTL). KMHD Jazz Radio. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  6. ^ Nwana, Chioma (September 4, 2019). "Orange Julius On His Journey To Jazz" (HMTL). SVGE Magazine. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  7. ^ Adler, Paul (November 25, 2019). "The Coolest Young Musicians Coming out of Westchester Right Now" (HMTL). Westchester Magazine. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  8. ^ "Julius Rodriguez" (HMTL). Smallslive. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
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