Internationally acclaimed saxophonist/composer Miguel Zenón has earned a 2025 Latin Grammy nomination in the category of Best Latin Jazz Album for his widely heralded album Golden City. Winners will be announced at the 26th Annual Latin Grammy Awards which take place on Thursday, November 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A sweeping extended composition inspired by the demographic and political evolution of San Francisco, from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary tech-dominated era, Zenón’s 17th album as a leader grew out of a commission by SFJAZZ and the Hewlett Foundation. It premiered at the SFJAZZ Center in 2022 with a production designed for an unusual all-star trombone-centric nonet.
The inveterately curious Zenón embraced the assignment by delving into California’s history, “all the way back to the beginning with Native communities,” he says. “All the way back to when it was Mexico, and the Gold Rush, and the waves of Asian migration. I talked to about 50 individuals and came out the other side with a lot more information to feed the creative process.”
While Golden City isn’t programmatic, it’s a body of music deeply informed by the places and people Zenón visited. The album earned broad critical acclaim including as the #1 Latin Jazz Album of the year in the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll, and placement as one of the best albums of 2024 in publications including The Guardian, Jazzwise, Jazziz and many others.
★★★★ 1/2 “The band can hit hard but can also render subtle, alluring blends of color and texture. And the available solo firepower is exceptional, starting with Zenón. The human cry of his alto saxophone is one of the most compelling sounds in jazz." — Thomas Conrad, Stereophile
★★★★ 1/2 Editor’s Choice. “Golden City is a startlingly imaginative set, and sometimes a breathtaking one that might well make it a standout jazz album for 2024.” – John Fordham, Jazzwise
“… yet another in a series of masterpieces from this 47-year old San Juan-born alto sax man, producer, composer, educator… His nonet—piano, bass, drums, guitar, congas, trumpet, three trombones and tuba—brings to extraordinary musical life approximations of that town’s history…Musically stunning, complex and adventurous.” – Mike Greenblatt, Goldmine
★★★★ 1/2 “Golden City is both assured and daring, a manifestation of Zenón’s artistry as a composer, arranger, and world-class saxophonist." – Felipe Freitas, Jazz Trail
A sweeping extended composition inspired by the demographic and political evolution of San Francisco, from the pre-colonial period to the contemporary tech-dominated era, Zenón’s 17th album as a leader grew out of a commission by SFJAZZ and the Hewlett Foundation. It premiered at the SFJAZZ Center in 2022 with a production designed for an unusual all-star trombone-centric nonet.
The inveterately curious Zenón embraced the assignment by delving into California’s history, “all the way back to the beginning with Native communities,” he says. “All the way back to when it was Mexico, and the Gold Rush, and the waves of Asian migration. I talked to about 50 individuals and came out the other side with a lot more information to feed the creative process.”
While Golden City isn’t programmatic, it’s a body of music deeply informed by the places and people Zenón visited. The album earned broad critical acclaim including as the #1 Latin Jazz Album of the year in the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll, and placement as one of the best albums of 2024 in publications including The Guardian, Jazzwise, Jazziz and many others.
Praise for Golden City
★★★★ 1/2 “Golden City is a triumph... Miguel Zenón at his creative peak. A riveting listening experience." — Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz★★★★ 1/2 “The band can hit hard but can also render subtle, alluring blends of color and texture. And the available solo firepower is exceptional, starting with Zenón. The human cry of his alto saxophone is one of the most compelling sounds in jazz." — Thomas Conrad, Stereophile
★★★★ 1/2 Editor’s Choice. “Golden City is a startlingly imaginative set, and sometimes a breathtaking one that might well make it a standout jazz album for 2024.” – John Fordham, Jazzwise
“… yet another in a series of masterpieces from this 47-year old San Juan-born alto sax man, producer, composer, educator… His nonet—piano, bass, drums, guitar, congas, trumpet, three trombones and tuba—brings to extraordinary musical life approximations of that town’s history…Musically stunning, complex and adventurous.” – Mike Greenblatt, Goldmine
★★★★ 1/2 “Golden City is both assured and daring, a manifestation of Zenón’s artistry as a composer, arranger, and world-class saxophonist." – Felipe Freitas, Jazz Trail
About Miguel Zenón
Grammy winner, Doris Duke Artist, Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow, Zenón is one of a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, Zenón has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between jazz and his many influences. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has released seventeen albums as a leader. He has worked with luminaries and organizations such as The SFJAZZ Collective, Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Perez, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Kurt Elling, Joey Calderazzo, Steve Coleman, Ray Barreto, Andy Montañez, Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band, The Mingus Big Band, and Bobby Hutcherson. Zenón has given hundreds of lectures and master classes at institutions all over the world and is an Associate Professor in the Music & Theater Arts Department at MIT.For more information contact Braithwaite & Katz Communications.
