When you hear Julius Rodriguez play “the music,” as he calls it, it’s a modern Sound, as fluent in history as it is aware of its contemporary context. His music dares to imagine a future of new standards and sonic excitement. This vanguard was raised in an atmosphere where pop and hip-hop and dance influenced their approaches to melody and harmony and rhythm, so of course it is part of their improvisational DNA. And that’s what Julius Rodriguez’s Soundtells to whoever will choose to listen. On some level, this open-mindedness has been a part of Julius Rodriguez’s approach for much of his young life. Even creative eclecticism must have its seeds, and Julius’ were planted via interest from Audrey McCallum, a historic figure at Baltimore’s Peabody Conservatory (she was the first African-American student at its preparatory high school in the ’50s) and a beloved music teacher at Charm City’s public schools. McCallum was also friends with the Rodriguez family, and it was upon her recommendation that young Julius began taking classical piano lessons at age three, developing a strong music-theory foundation. This instruction was put to action at the Greenburgh, NY church that the Rodriguez family attended, which was where Julius would play all manner of keyboards (including the organ) and drums from a young age.