Miguel Zenon's Rhythm Collective at The Falcon

“This young musician and composer is at once reestablishing the artistic, cultural, and social tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century.”
- MacArthur Foundation,2008.

Multiple Grammy Nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow, Miguel Zenón, represents a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered as one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin American Folkloric Music and Jazz....

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“This young musician and composer is at once reestablishing the artistic, cultural, and social tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century.”
- MacArthur Foundation,2008.

Multiple Grammy Nominee and Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow, Miguel Zenón, represents a select group of musicians who have masterfully balanced and blended the often-contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Widely considered as one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice as a composer and as a conceptualist, concentrating his efforts on perfecting a fine mix between Latin American Folkloric Music and Jazz.

Zenón and the Rhythm Collective first came together for a U.S. State Department tour of West Africa in 2003, and all of the music that appears on this album was conceived during—or inspired by—that experience. The edgy and the artful come together in covers and originals that don't lack for rhythmic vivacity, yet don't feel hemmed in by the grooves. The music often gives off a loose-and-open-ended feeling, but it also sizzles with percussive heat. Drummer Tony Escapa and percussionist Reynaldo de Jesus burn with the fire of a thousand suns at times, but balance their frenetic energy with a more spacious outlook. Zenón and electric bassist Aldemar Valentin share in their ability to blur lines, delivering melodic rhythms and rhythmic melodies throughout.

Zenón has been featured in articles on publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, Jazz Times, Jazziz, Boston Globe, Billboard, Newsday, Details, as well as gracing the cover of Downbeat Magazine and the Swiss jazz magazine, Jazz N More. He has also topped the Rising Star Alto Sax category of the Downbeat Critic's Poll on four different occasions and was chosen by both the 2012 Jazz Times Reader's and Critic's Poll as the top Alto Saxophonist of the year.

Zenon’s biography would not be complete without discussing his role as an educator. In 2003, he was chosen by the Kennedy Center to teach and perform in West Africa as part of their Jazz Ambassador program. Since then, he has given hundreds of lectures and master classes and has taught all over the world.

Featuring Miguel Zenon/alto saxophone,Joel Mateo/drums, Aldemar Valentin/electric bass and Reynaldo De Jesus/percussion.

www.miguelzenonsrhythmcollective.posterous.com

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