Saxophonist Miguel Zenón Explores Life on Awake

By I Feb. 15, 2008

Miguel Zenón’s third Marsalis Music release, Awake will be released April 1. It follows the alto saxophonist’s 2005 Jíbaro, a reinterpretation of the rural music of Zenón’s native Puerto Rico.

“The focus is more personal and philosophical than Jíbaro,” Zenón said. “Although that album also has a central theme. I wrote all of the music for Awake, and the individual compositions fell into an order around one of the older tunes, ‘Awakening,’ which represents a period of personal growth I went through. What resulted was an awareness of my priorities, and how I want to portray myself as an artist.”

Zenón incorporates the use of Fender Rhodes on four tracks, a string quartet and a three-piece horn section.

“I felt that the Rhodes would create a different sonic flow and push the music in different directions,” he said. “And once I realized that ‘Awakening’ would serve as a connection between the various elements of the record, I decided to add a string quartet for two tracks.”

The members of Zenón’s working band include Luis Perdomo on piano and Fender Rhodes, Hans Glawischnig on bass and Henry Cole on drums.

More info: marsalismusic.com