Jazz Articles about Miguel Zenon

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Miguel Zenon: Jibaro

by AAJ Staff
June 7, 2005

For his second Marsalis Music release and third overall, alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón returns with the same crew from Ceremonial (2004) to celebrate the rural music of his Puerto Rican homeland. Jibaro refers to this creole musical culture, which has a lot of folk elements and tends to revolve around guitars and vocals—none of which appear here. Zenón's interpretations, therefore, are more figurative than literal. (He acknowledges this in the liner notes.) The overall flavor of the record is much ...

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Miguel Zenon: Jibaro

by Jim Santella
May 17, 2005

Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón explores the country music of Puerto Rico on Jibaro, an album of Latin jazz originals. By applying these innate cultural ideas in a jazz context, Zenón's quartet creates an exciting program that's filled with melodic fragrance and traditional rhythmic charm. The leader was able to create the album's ten compositions through the support of New York's State Council of the Arts' Individual Artists Program.The leader was born and raised in the Santurce section of ...

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Miguel Zenon: Ceremonial

by Mark F. Turner
January 5, 2004

The young Marsalis Music label continues to produce interesting recordings with a mindset of creating music that expresses individuality as well as substance. Last year's releases featured guitarist Doug Wamble's Country Libations and Harry Connick Jr.'s instrumental Other Hours, which created fresh and progressive approaches. Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon continues on that path in 2004 with his auspicious release Ceremonial.

A native of a San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenon's new recording brings not only Latin persuasions but also a refined ...

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Miguel Zenon: Looking Forward

by Javier AQ Ortiz
June 20, 2002

Miguel Zenon, the star pupil of the Berklee in Puerto Rico program associated with the Heineken Jazzfest, is Looking Forward in his first release to assorted musical inroads in jazz through a noteworthy effort. The only three tunes he did not write, for example, are superbly handled and given attractive new profiles under Zen'n's scalpel-like alto sax, touched with darkened matter full of life.

As a self-avowed Christian, Zenon opens and closes with musical compositions in lieu of ...