Julius Rodriguez is the latest artist to visit NPR’s Tiny Desk. The celebrated multi-instrumentalist performed songs off his latest album, Evergreen, including “Run to It (The CP Song),” “Around the World,” and “Love Everlasting.” Rodriguez also plays two tracks off his 2022 solo debut Let Sound Tell All, “Elegy (For Cam)” “Gift of the Moon.” Evergreen is out now via Verve Records.
During the performance, Rodriguez is accompanied by Brian Richburg Jr. on drums, Philip Norris on bass, Alonzo Demetrius on trumpet, and Chris Lewis on saxophone. “I’m not a big words guy,” Rodriguez says near the end of the set, “but I will say that being here is such an honor and a dream come true. I’m very glad to have some of my best friends and the greatest musicians in the world with me.”
Listen to Julius Rodriguez’s Evergreen now.
Evergreen is Rodriguez’s second record for Verve. The album was created in Los Angeles, after Rodriguez relocated from his native New York City in 2022. He worked with producer Tim Anderson, a collaborator of Solange, Halsey, and Billie Eilish, on a series of original works, as well as a cover of Dijon’s “Many Times.” The 10-song album includes features from Keyon Harrold, Nate Mercereau, and Georgia Anne Muldrow.
“I kept seeing the word EVERGREEN everywhere,” Rodriguez says of the title. “I looked up the definition, and it struck me. An ‘EVERGREEN’ is a plant whose foliage remains functional for all seasons. That’s similar to how I like to be; I want to be myself no matter the genre I’m playing or what’s going on around me. There are a lot of styles on this record, but it’s recognizably my voice.”
A sought-after collaborator, Rodriguez has also lent his numerous talents to works by Carmen Lundy, Lackecia Benjamin, Baby Rose, Joe Farnsworth, Cautious Clay, and more. In August, Rodriguez will return to Newport Jazz Festival for the storied institution’s 70th anniversary.
Listen to Julius Rodriguez’s Evergreen now.
