Jazz Con Clave Fund for Musical Education

Irving Rodriguez was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in New Haven, CT. A graduate of Lee High School, he developed a lifelong love of music that was nurtured by his stepfather. As a young boy, Irving loved watching local bands perform at neighborhood festivals, enjoying genres such as salsa, merengue and the traditional “jibaro” music of Puerto Rico. In his early teens, he started with percussion but soon picked up the bass, mastering the instrument and joining various local bands over the years.

A self-taught professional musician who never learned to read or write music, Irving played for over 40 years and was well-known in the area. Unable to afford professional instruction during his youth, he took the next best route: observing, asking questions, and learning from more experienced bass players. Irving was frequently seen at New Haven-area concerts, where he appreciated the stylistic differences among bass players across genres like salsa, jazz and R&B. 

To honor Irving Rodriguez, his family established the Jazz Con Clave Fund for Musical Education at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. Jazz Con Clave scholarships will provide money for low-income children in New Haven to obtain music lessons. Irving’s wish for the Jazz Con Clave Fund is that it help remove money as a barrier for low-income youth with the talent and drive to study music.

If you knew Irving and/or share his passion for music please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the Jazz Con Clave Fund.