Julius Rodriguez at Jazz Forum Arts

Wandering Nomads should always keep their ears close to the ground.

On February 6, 2026, travelers gathered inside Jazz Forum Arts in Tarrytown, New York for two sold-out performances by Julius Rodriguez and his quartet featuring vocalist Ekep Nkwelle alongside Brandon Rose and Joshua Watkins. What unfolded inside the intimate Hudson Valley listening room felt less like ordinary entertainment and more like a living conversation between improvisation, openness, trust, and emotional movement itself.

Jazz Forum Arts carries a rare atmosphere — warm lighting, incredible sound, thoughtful cocktails, good food, and a room genuinely designed for listening. Under the guidance of founder and trumpeter Mark Morganelli, the space has become one of the lower Hudson Valley’s most important signal sites for wandering observers seeking new sounds and alternate emotional environments outside conventional systems.

At several points during the performance the room became completely still.

Observers leaned forward unconsciously.
Conversations disappeared.
Even glasses stopped moving.

The music did not demand attention.
It invited openness.