Bluestem Jazz Presents
Rodrigo Villanueva Trio featuring Fareed Haque

Doors 6:30PM / Show 7:30PM

$15 Student (must show valid student ID at the door)

$20 ADV / $25 DOS

Rodrigo Villanueva – Drums
Fareed Haque - Guitar
John Christenen – Bass

Rodrigo holds a B.M. ('01 Magna Cum Laude) and a M.M. ('03) in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas. He is currently a Full Professor of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University where he has been teaching since 2004. Rodrigo teaches Jazz Drum Set, Jazz Arranging I, Jazz Arranging II and directs the award-winning NIU Jazz Ensemble (Formerly known as the NIU Jazz Lab Band). Rodrigo performs regularly in the U.S. and Mexico with several groups, among them, The Eddie Gomez Trio, the NIU Jazz Faculty Group Nucleus, Panoramic, Anders Svanoe Jazz Trio and Rodrigo Villanueva Jazz Trio/Quartet.

Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation. Born in 1963 to a Pakistani father and Chilean mother, Fareed’s extensive travels and especially long stays in Spain, France, Iran, Pakistan, and Chile exposed Haque to different kinds of music from a very early age. While this natural eclecticism has become a hallmark of Haque’s music, it was repeated visits to Von Freeman’s Chicago jam sessions that gave Haque a grounding in the Chicago blues and jazz traditions.

Haque came to the attention of multi-instrumentalist Howard Levy and joined his latin-fusion group Chevere. Thru Levy, Haque was introduced to Paquito D’Rivera and began a long and fruitful relationship with the Cuban NEA Jazz Master.

In 2001, Haque’s interest in jam bands and the jam scene led him to co-found the jam super-group Garaj Mahal featuring Kai Eckhardt, Eric Levy, and Alan Hertz. This began 10 years of extensive touring across the US, performing in excess of 200 shows per year. Haque also joined George Brooks’ group Summit, featuring Zakir Hussain and Steve Smith. Haque was voted ‘Most Valuable Player’ at the 2002 High Sierra Music Festival. Haque and Garaj Mahal released 3 Live CDs as well as 5 studio CDs: Mondo Garaj, Blueberry Cave, w00t, More Mr. Nice Guy, and Discovery, which featured Haque’s debut of the Moog Guitar.

John Christensen began his bass studies with Chris Wood in high school. After brief stints at Berklee College and North Texas, John moved to San Francisco and played in the burgeoning music scene during the late 90’s. There he learned and grew playing with Scott Amenodola, Jenny Scheinman, Liberty Ellman, Hal Stein, Mark Levine, Adam Levy, Slide Five, Vijay Iyer, as well as his own trio, Dam East. Since Moving to Wisconsin in 1999 John has played with numerous local artists and bands including Louka Patenaude, Alison Margaret, Anthony Deutsch, Tony Barba, Jonathan Greenstein, Anders Svanoe, Johannes Wallmann and Harmonious Wail. John also is a co-counder of the band Lesser Lakes Trio