Another Gem From Legendary Van Gelder Studio

Written By Mike Greenblatt
Willy Rodriguez

The legends of jazz knew if they wanted the best, they’d have to cross the Hudson from New York City to Hackensack. Rudy Van Gelder [1924-2016] was a sound scientist. Coltrane, Monk, Miles, Ellington, Ray Charles, Sonny Rollins, they all made the trip. The studio is in Englewood now, run by Maureen and Don Sickler. And it’s still producing gems.

Into The Unknown (I Will Find You), on Sunnyside Records, by drummer-composer Willy Rodriguez, is the latest. Willy’s trio with tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock and keyboardist Leo Genovese, indeed, heads into the unknown as there’s no bass! The sound is fermented by shifting aural environments that accentuate the piano’s multiple textures while that sax flies in, around, under and above the mix.

Spicing up the promise of his Seeing Sounds debut, Rodriguez is an inventive percussionist, going out on several limbs but always returning in the pocket right on time. “The Perplexity Of Eternity” even features some spoken-word poetry by Harlem vocalist Allan Harris.  

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Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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