by Thom Jurek Roberto Juan Rodriguez may be best known as a go-to drummer for a wide array of musicians ranging from Rubén Blades and Marc Ribot to T-Bone Burnettand Paul Simon. While there's no doubt that these gigs are his bread and butter, they are far from the sum total of his passion and gifts — his own records are. The First Basket is his fourth offering for John Zorn's Tzadik imprint. The previous three, including the provocative, big-band set Les Danzon de Moises wove together rhythms from his native Cuba and the Caribbean with melodies from klezmer, Yiddish folk songs, and surf tunes. While his other delightful recordings — 2004's Baila! Gitano Baila! And 2006's Oy Vey! Ole! — showcase somewhat smaller ensembles, they were no less groundbreaking or thrilling. 2009 sees the release of The First Basket, the soundtrack to the documentary film of the same name by David Vyorst about the origins of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) that later became the National Basketball Association (NBA). Rodriguez has composed a brilliant score for a film about the origins of American basketball in the ethnic Jewish neighborhoods of New York, from the ash cans placed on the stoops of brownstones to Madison Square Garden. ...