Rodrigo Villalón is a drummer and percussionist from Barranquilla, Colombia. Born in Germany and raised in the Colombian Caribbean, with Chilean roots within a family of classical and folkloric musicians, he has forged a powerful and versatile voice that moves fluidly between jazz, world music, and contemporary Latin fusion. From an early age, he developed a deep connection to music, with a special focus on drums and Colombian percussion.

His early foundation led him to formal studies in Germany, where he trained at the Jugendmusikschule in Hamburg, the Hochschule für Musik in Mannheim, and the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, earning the Diplom-Musiker degree in Jazz and Popular Music (Drums). During this formative period, he performed with his group Latin Sampling and later with the Camacho Trio, exploring Latin jazz and Colombian jazz on international stages. Since then, he has built an international career performing across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East, establishing himself as one of the leading Colombian drummers of his generation.

Villalón has participated in more than 25 international recordings and has appeared at major festivals and venues worldwide, including Blue Note Tokyo and the Barranquijazz Festival. Throughout his career, he has collaborated and shared the stage with internationally renowned artists such as Edmar Castañeda, Paquito D’Rivera, Terrell Stafford, Marshall Gilkes, Gregoire Maret, Benny Golson, the German National Jazz Orchestra (BuJazzO), and the HR Bigband, among many others. He also performs internationally with Iranian pop star Mansour. In 2021, he was part of the Latin Grammy–nominated album Family by the Edmar Castañeda Quartet (Best Latin Jazz Album).

Beyond performing, Rodrigo is the founder of Fundación Música y Tambores, Colombia’s only international drum and percussion festival. He has led workshops and educational projects internationally, including music programs for children in Iraq and Turkey. In Colombia, he serves as professor at Universidad del Norte and Universidad del Atlántico in Barranquilla, and is the founder and director of the UNINORTE Big Band.