Jazz Connection Magazine

Saxist Miguel Zenón With SFJAZZ Collective Talks Of Stellar Group And Rising Career

A collage photo of members of the SFJAZZ Collective 2007 Season: Top row (l-r), Miguel Zenón, alto saxophone; Renee

Rosnes, piano; Eric Harland, drums; André Hayward, trombone; Bottom row (l-r), Dave Douglas, trumpet; Joshua

Redman, tenor and soprano saxophones and Artistic Director; Matt Penman, bass; and Bobby Hutcherson, vibraphone.

The SFJAZZ Collective has received critical acclaim for its artistry since its inception four years ago.

- Photo courtesy of SFJAZZ

Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón (pronounced Zeh-NON) said he bought his first Joshua Redman tape while he was still in high school. Little did he realize that over a dozen years later he would join the celebrated saxophone titan as part of the explosive yet classy SFJAZZ Collective, an all-star jazz ensemble featuring eight of today's top musicians. Zenón, an up-and-coming star on the jazz scene who was named "Number One Rising Star on the Alto Saxophone" in Down Beat Magazine's 2006 Critics Poll, is known for his exuberant and powerful style of playing while garnering critical acclaim for the three CDs he has cut with his own quartet, which calls the "4tet."

"Everybody in the SFJAZZ Collective band is such a high-level musician it pushes you to do better," said Zenón, 31, via telephone from his home in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. "I've admired many people who have been with the band. Being a part of the SFJAZZ Collective has been an ideal situation for me in terms of how things work and are put together. It makes it easy on the musicians and it gives each musician lots of liberty for expression. It's also been a launching pad to expose our own music. Everybody writes an original composition for the band. That expands my view because I usually write for four, now I write for eight. It's allowed me to think about some different things that I otherwise wouldn't. Being with this group makes you feel like you've reached a pinnacle in your career."

The SFJAZZ Collective was launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ - the West Coast’s largest nonprofit jazz institution and the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival. For the 2007 season, members include Joshua Redman, tenor and soprano saxophones, Grammy Award-nominee, and Artistic Director of the SFJAZZ Collective; Bobby Hutcherson, vibraphone; Dave Douglas, trumpet; André Hayward, trombone; Renee Rosnes, piano; Matt Penman, bass; Eric Harland, drums; and of course, Zenón on alto saxophone.

SFJAZZ Collective is likened in some respects as a modern day Jazz at the Philharmonic, which was first organized in 1944 by the late jazz promoter Norman Granz. Granz had a vision of showcasing the top stars of jazz in a racially- integrated concert format, not only for the musicians, but for patrons as well. The "experiment" proved to be very successful and lasted for over four decades. Granz wisely recorded these concerts, thus documenting some of the most exciting jazz sounds ever produced in front of live audiences. While there may loosely be some similarities between the two musical groups, the SFJAZZ Collective is much different in scope, according to Zenón.

"It's really a great band and I'm glad the band is getting appreciated as a band and not as a bunch of names put together," said Zenón, who has been a member of the prestigious group since its inception. "What makes this band different is that we've been playing together for a while and we spend a lot of time rehearsing and putting the music together. We spend a lot of energy trying to get that 'chemistry' that happens, so we don't sound like just a bunch of soloists - we actually sound like a band."

Media reactions to the ensemble have been enthusiastic. Two such reactions, for example, as expressed by the Sacramento Bee, stated that the "SFJAZZ Collective continues to be a wildly successful experiment," while the San Jose Mercury News wrote that the band is, "One of the most successful experiments in the jazz world."

While each musician in the SFJAZZ Collective is a formidable player in his/her own right, Zenón took a moment to give his assessment of each artist and what he feels they bring to the aggregation as a whole.

- Joshua Redman (tenor and soprano saxophones/SFJAZZ Collective Artist Director) - 2005 Grammy Award nominee; 1991 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition winner

"What Josh has done as a saxophone player and jazz musician is to set a standard for any upcoming jazz musician that wants to make it in the jazz world, while retaining their own identity. He's a great bandleader and he's respectful as to what anybody has to say. He runs things very democratically."

(Note: This will be Redman's third appearance at California State University, Chico, in seven years.)

- Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone) - One of the architects of modern jazz; one of the leading voices of the vibraphone

"Bobby is like a resident legend. Even when we're not playing, he's talking and telling stories. He's like the father-figure of the group. He's the oldest person in the band, but he's almost like the youngest. He has a youthful spirit, especially when we play. He's very playful and like to joke around, but when it comes to music, he's serious. I don't think the band would be the same if he weren't there. He's kind of the heart of the band."

- Dave Douglas (trumpet) - “Trumpeter of the Year” in Down Beat’s 2006 Critics Poll

"This will be Dave's first year with the band. For the past three years we had Nicholas Payton. last year the band really clicked. Having a new member in band could throw that off, but I think Dave is such an incredible musician and he's esteemed so highly by everyone in the jazz community, that whatever he'll bring to the band will be perfect."

- Renee Rosnes (piano) - Three-time Juno Award winner (the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Award) and two Jazz Report awards for "Best Jazz Album" for earlier Blue Note releases; also a founding member of the SFJAZZ Collective

"Renee is not only one of the most respected piano players in New York, but she's really made a career out of her hard work, paying her dues and playing with the right people. She's played with some of the most incredible musicians of our time - J. J. Johnson, Joe Henderson, James Moody, Wayne Shorter. At the same time, she's become her own voice. She's surpassed any kind of thinking that she plays well for a female. She just plays great, period. She's definitely one of the top piano players out there today."

- André Hayward (trombone) - Jazz Studies professor at the New England Conservatory of Music; jazz trombonist for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra; 2003 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition winner

"Andre came aboard last year replacing. He was the new guy in the group last year. I personally think that his presence was the missing link that the band was waiting for in order for it to become a band. Not only is he an incredible musician, but he has a great personality. Things clicked with him. There was just something about having him the the band that made the band click musically and personally. I really think the addition of Andre made it a good year last year."

- Eric Harland (drums) - Known as "Hercules;" an ordained minister; played with a number of jazz luminaries

"Eric is a well-known guy who has worked with a number of great players. In recent years, he's grown to the top of his class. Eric is young. We're about the same age. He has so much experience for such a young age. He brings to the band, too. When we write drum parts for the band, we know Eric will really the drum parts strong."

- Matt Penman (bass) - Native of New Zealand; 1994 nominee for New Zealand Jazz Album of the Year

"Matt and I have played a couple of gigs together, so I've known him for a while. He's one of those guys who is 'first-call' in New York City. Whenever there's a good band playing around the city, Matt always seems to be there. He always brings something strong to whatever the situation. He can deal with a lot of musical situations and environments. He also brings a lot of good vibes to the band."

Miguel Zenón, second from right, blows during a concert in the SFJAZZ Collective's 2006 Season while bassist Matt

Penman, far left, tenor saxist Joshua Redman (second from left), and drummer Eric Harland (far right) are near.

- Photo courtesy of SFJAZZ

The SFJAZZ Collective convenes in San Francisco each February for a three-week residency. Throughout this rehearsal period, the ensemble works on the season’s new repertoire (an annual mixture of original compositions and works by a modern jazz master) and interacts with the Bay Area community through SFJAZZ’s education programs. The Collective then takes to the performance stage, including home season concerts under the auspices of the SFJAZZ Spring Season and a national and international tour.

Previous modern Jazz Masters that were honored were Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock, respectively.

For the 2007 season, the Collective will feature works by Thelonious Monk. Commenting on the decision to present Monk repertoire, Redman posted his thoughts on the SFJAZZ Collective website: "Thelonious Monk’s importance as a jazz innovator - as both pianist and composer - cannot be overstated. Though he is the earliest of the jazz masters we’ve explored, stretching back to the bop era, Monk’s music seems somehow above rigid definition or classification. Like the man who created it, Monk’s music is sui generis. There is such an innate sense of modernism in Monk’s works, something invariably fresh and compelling - melodies that are deceptively simple on first hearing, framed by harmonies that are so rich and complex, and driven by rhythms that are so compelling and infectious. To rehearse and premiere our own originals in the context of Monk’s music is sure to inspire exciting new directions in the Collective’s sound." ( www.sfjazz.org )

"Members of the Collective select what artist's work we would want to perform," Zenón said. "We thought of Monk last year. Monk is kind of an obvious artist to do because he wrote so many tunes, so much good music. He's a legendary figure."

This will be the first year that the actual members of the band are writing the arrangements, according to Zenón.

In past years, all the arranging duties fell on the shoulders of Grammy-awarding arranger Gil Goldstein, who also works as the SFJAZZ Collective's house arranger.

"Doing the arrangements this year gives us the opportunity of putting our own views about Monk's music," Zenón said. "It's going to be a lot of fun."

The SFJAZZ Collective will make four concert appearances in Northern California during the month of March. The first performance is on Thursday, March 8 at Laxson Auditorium on the campus of California State University, Chico at 7: 30 p.m. (see information at end of article); Friday, March 9 at the Mondavi Center at the University of California, Davis; and an afternoon and evening concert at the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco on Sunday, March 11. Prior to their scheduled appearances in Northern California, the Collective will have returned from performances in Japan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.

Zenón was born and raised in the Santurce section of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has played music since the age of 10. With natural talent for music, Zenón

applied and was admitted at Escuela Libre de Música, an arts high school in San Juan.

While Zenón originally planned to concentrate on a career as an engineer, the muse of music took over. He spent the next six years studying saxophone with Angel Marrero at Escuela Libre, leaving the young musician well-grounded in basic techniques. By the 11th grade, Zenón had discovered jazz - the recordings of Charlie Parker, Tito Puente, and Joshua Redman

“I was starting to get into jazz, but there was no jazz training at the school, so I had to learn jazz harmony by ear," Zenón said.

A year later, Zenón applied and was accepted at Berklee School of Music, but his family couldn’t afford the tuition. He decided to stay in Puerto Rico and study music at home. A year later, in the spring of 1995, Berklee sent faculty to Puerto Rico to conduct its first workshops and award its first scholarships on the island. Zenón received one of the awards from the Puerto Rico Heineken Jazz Festival, which allowed him to enroll in Boston’s famed jazz college.

Zenón excelled at Berklee and received the Berklee Best Scholarship Award, the Frederic Cameron Weber Award, and a grant from the Corporation of Musical Arts while in attendance. It was also during this time that he became active in the Boston area jazz scene and gained professional experience with the drummer Bob Moses' Mozamba and the Either/Orchestra.

Upon his graduation in 1998, Zenón received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York City where he received his Masters in Saxophone Performance in 2001. The distinguished list of musicians/educators he has studied with include: Angel Marrero, Leslie Lopez, Rafael Martinez, Danilo Pérez, Dick Oatts, Dave Liebman, George Garzone and Bill Pierce.

Soon Zenón began hanging out with fellow Puerto Rican (and fellow Angel Marrero student) David Sánchez, sitting in on a few tunes at Sánchez’s quintet gigs, and rehearsing the new music that Sánchez was writing to feature two saxophones. At the 1999-2000 Orvieto Jazz Festival, Zenón became a permanent member of what was now the David Sánchez Sextet.

Being a member of the David Sánchez Sextet was Zenón's first real major gig. It was a union that was certainly good for the young saxophonist's career, both artistically and professionally, he said.

"We just clicked in the beginning," Zenón said of his association with Sánchez. "David and I have lots of things in common. We actually went to the same high school in Puerto Rico. He went there about six years or so before I did. We studied with the same music teacher. We have a lot of the same goals and visions about music - what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it and to feel our music in a special kind of way."

As a member of the sextet, Zenón appeared on Sánchez's Melaza and Travesia (both in 2001/Columbia) which featured some of the alto saxophonist's original compositions. In 2004, he was on Sánchez's CD, Coral (Sony).

And Zenón credits the Grammy-nominated saxophonist with helping him expand his artistic palette, while allowing him to be himself, he said.

"David give me a great opportunity and it was a blessing for me," Zenón said. "It's not every day you have a saxophone player and another saxophone player in the same band. Being in the band helped me to grow but at the same time it added a new voice to what David was trying to do. He really opened my mind about the future in relation to seeing my own music and as a bandleader. He gave each of us in the band the opportunity to play what we feel, to be ourselves. If you look at it, that's the case with every good musician. Realizing that you can trust your band, you give them the space to create. David certainly did that."

Miguel Zenón, left, blows with tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, right, as part of the David Sánchez Sextet

during a performance on Dec. 16, 2001, at Yoshi's Jazz House in Oakland, CA.

- Photo by Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

During his time with the David Sánchez Sextet, Zenón teamed up with pianist Luis Perdomo and two members of the Sánchez Sextet - bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Antonio Sánchez (no relation to the saxophonist) to record some of Zenón's original works. The only record label willing to take a chance on documenting the fledgling saxophonist's music was Fresh Sound New Talent out of Spain. The result was the CD, Looking Forward, recorded in August 2001. It earned a place on the New York Times' “alternative” list of the ten best albums of 2002.

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis had become familiar with Zenón's music while producing David Sánchez’s discs and liked what the young saxophonist had to say musically. In 2002, Marsalis launched his own record company, Marsalis Music, and he signed Zenón to his new label.

Zenón's second CD as a leader, Ceremonial, produced by Marsalis, was recorded in March 2003. Perdomo, Glawischnig and Antonio Sánchez comprised his quartet. Released the following year, Ceremonial, brought Zenón more into the spotlight so that he topped the prestigious Down Beat Magazine Critics' Poll for 2004, 2005 and 2006 for “Alto Saxophonist Deserving Wider Recognition."

In addition to touring with his quartet throughout the US and Europe, Zenón’s group was selected in 2003 to travel to Africa as part of the Jazz Ambassador program sponsored by the Kennedy Center and The Department of State. He has also been a clinician at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY, and at the Diaz Institute in Houston, TX. He has also served as a private saxophone instructor at the jazz department of The New School, New York City, since 2003.

Jibaro, Zenón’s second CD for Marsalis Music, was released in the Spring of 2005 to critical acclaim. The CD serves as a tribute to the "Musica Jibara" of the island of Puerto Rico. Zenón wrote all the music, being commissioned by a grant from the New York State Council for the Arts. Jibaro was chosen as one of the Best Recordings of 2005 by sources including The New York Times, Latin Beat, El Nuevo Dia, Descarga.com, and The Chicago Tribune, among others.

Listeners seem to be attracted to Zenón's music because it represents a mix of Latin-American sounds coupled with jazz, Zenón ventured to say.

"But we are not danceable music," he cautioned. "We are more of a listening kind of music. When people think about Latin jazz, they think about something that has percussion and is danceable. For myself, I'm trying to get out of that spectrum that portrays a fusion that still uses those elements. Those elements are vivid but at the same time you can appreciate music you can just listen to like you would to Miles Davis or John Coltrane or Charlie Parker. I think people like David (Sánchez) and Danilo Pérez have gone a different route. It's the route I want to go."

Despite what Zenón is trying to do, his music still mistakenly gets categorized as Latin jazz, he said.

"It's definitely not Latin jazz," Zenón equivocally said. "When you say Latin jazz, people think of a specific combination that has to do with Afro-Cuban music. In my case, it's going back and exploring the music of Puerto Rico and seeing how that can be brought in our music and what I want to do. I think that's the main difference. When people think of Latin jazz, they think about something that's groovy but also something Afro-Cuban. I'm not saying that's bad. Any kind of music can be played at a very high level. I'm just saying that this is not what I'm trying to do or what every Latino jazz artist is trying to do."

But like every jazz artist, Zenón is always trying to refine his "sound," that aural identification mark that makes his music easy to recognize. At this point in his career, that definitive sound is not quite perfected, but is rather, a work in progress.

"I'm trying to create a mix of all these Latin American influences, especially music from Puerto Rico, with jazz," he said. "My main thing is for the band to have a personal sound - a sound that's powerful so that when people hear it, we'll be recognized as a band and they'll experience a good feeling about the music."

"When Josh (Redman) and Randall Klein formed SFJAZZ Collective initially, they wanted to bring in people who were coming from different places," Zenon said about what he brings to the ensemble mix. "They didn't want to bring a band where everybody was on the same line. Being Latino, I think I bring to the mix the music that I've been exposed to."

Each year, the SFJAZZ Collective releases a limited edition CD boxed set of its live of performances from the previous season. The two-CD set from 2006 is available for purchase at the SFJAZZ website at www.sfjazz.org

In his very short, but rather illustrious career, Zenón has performed and/or recorded with a quite a diverse array of artists and groups including Danilo Pérez, William Cepeda's Afro-Rican Jazz, Bob Moses' Mozamba, The Either/Orchestra, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, The Guillermo Klein Big Band, The Mingus Big Band, Charlie Haden, The David Murray Big Band, The Jason Lindner Big Band, Brian Lynch, Greg Tardy, Branford Marsalis, Ray Barretto, Michele Rosewoman, and Ed Simon, Edsel Gomez, Luis Perdomo, and Hans Glawischnig, among others.

A religious person, Zenón finds comfort, strength and creativeness through his spiritual development. His practice of spirituality plays an important role not only in his personal life, but in his musical life as well.

"While spirituality plays a very important part in my music, it's kind of hard to pin point a place where spirituality and my music meet," Zenón said. "My spirituality effects everything I do. With music being one of the main focuses in my life, it definitely influences that in many ways - from just the way people see my music to the way people praise what you do. That praise should really go to a Higher Force for inspiring you to put that down. I'm always thankful for what I have and for being conscious of what life is really about."

After the 2007 Season concludes with the SFJAZZ Collective, Zenón's whirlwind will continue to gain momentum as he concentrates on working to perfect his 4tet's "sound." First on his "To Do" list is to go into the studios to wax his fourth album, he said.

"We're looking forward to putting the music together and recording a new CD that hopefully will be out in the early fall of this year," Zenón said.

Perdomo and Glawischnig will be on board for the new recording project but Antonio Sánchez will not. Henry Cole, has replaced Sánchez on the traps, according to Zenón.

"Henry is also from Puerto Rico and he's played in the band for awhile now," Zenón said.

After the recording is completed, look for the Miguel Zenón 4tet to play some gigs on the West Coast, Zenón said.

For an up-to-date listing of Zenón's performance schedule and to make CD purchases, log on to the saxophonist's official website at www.miguelzenon.com

Even in the midst of whirlwind interest and activity in him and his music, Zenón continues to look forward - taking things step-by-step - as he tries to develop a musical statement with his music that's uniquely his, he said.

"I sometimes demand a lot of myself in terms of the way I want things to go of my own music and my own playing," Zenón said. "I'm just trying to find myself. I'm trying to find what I'm really about and hopefully trying to transmit that through my music and in everything I do. Hopefully people will be able to catch that."

*** The SFJAZZ Collective is scheduled to perform at Laxson Auditorium on the campus of California State University, Chico, on Thursday, March 8, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $23 Premium; $18 Adult; $16 Senior; $14 Student/Child (Reserved Seating). For ticket purchases or information, call the University Box Office at (530) 898-6333 or visit the University Box Office on the corner of 2nd and Normal streets M-F from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat. from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ***