RSS
Home
Miguel Zenon taps his musical roots for "Esta Plena"
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
When Miguel Zenon brings his “Esta Plena” Quartet to town Thursday, it will serve as a homecoming of sorts for the acclaimed saxophonist. The group performs at 10:30 p.m. at Yoshi’s in San Francisco.
After all, Zenon established his Bay Area bona fides in 2004 when he signed on as a charter member of the SFJAZZ Collective. The group grew out of Joshua Redman’s connection to the series; once Redman departed, however, the ensemble took on a new form.
“The band doesn't have a music director - it's kind of a collective in that sense," Zenon said in an interview last year. "It's kind of like everybody at one point will be the leader of the band. Everybody gets a chance to do it. It's been pretty seamless.”
SFJAZZ Collective will be on the road this winter with a lineup that includes Zenon, newcomers Mark Turner (tenor saxophone), Avashai Cohen (trumpet) and Edward Simon (piano) as well as returning members Robin Eurbanks (piano), Stefon Harris (vibes), Matt Penman (bass) and Eric Harland (drums). You can catch them March 21-22 at the Palace of Fine Arts.
In the meantime, Zenon has a new album, “Esta Plena,” due for release Oct. 20.
The disc finds the Puerto Rico-born sax man exploring his roots by creating music that blends jazz with the folkloric form known as plena. Half the tracks are instrumentals, the other half vocals. Zenon comes to Yoshi’s with his band of Luis Perdomo (piano), Hans Glawischnig (bass), Henry Cole (drums) and Tito Matos (percussion and vocals).
“Esta Plena” is Zenon’s fourth album for Marsalis Music and first since 2008’s “Awake.” His connection with the label stemmed from playing with co-founder Branford Marsalis, who produced his first three releases for the company.
"I knew him from working with Dave Sanchez's band," Zenon said. "He contacted me one day and said, 'If (Marsalis Music) happens, I want you to be one of the first guys on it. About a year later, he says, 'Let's do it.'”
Zenon is on the road through Thanksgiving with “Esta Plena”; that will be followed in the New Year by his annual SFJAZZ commitment. Fortunately, the saxophonist said, he sees such travel as a musician’s perk.
"I really like the traveling aspect and getting to do different places and meeting different people," he said. "It's kind of a blessing to be able to do that."
Want to keep up with the best in Bay Area jazz?
Subscribe to us: Have our jazz Examiner columns sent to your inbox. Click SUBSCRIBE TO EMAIL on the button above this column. It's free. (And we won't spam you or give out your information.)
Bookmark us: http://www.examiner.com/x-12458-Oakland-Jazz-Music-Examiner
Make us your home page, add us as a Favorite Examiner (see above), take us mobile at www.examiner.com/mobile.html
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
