MIGUEL ZENÓN

GOLDEN CITY

Miel Music

Miguel Zenón, alto saxophone/composer; Matt Mitchell, piano; Chris Tordini, bass; Dan Weiss, drums; Miles Okazaki, guitar; Daniel Diaz, congas/tripandero/percussion; Diego Urcola, trumpet/valve trombone; Alan Ferber, trombone; Jacob Garchik, tuba/trombone.

Miguel Zenón wanted this music to be a sweeping suite that musically represented the demographics and political evolution of San Francisco. That’s a huge task, but Zenón was up for the challenge.  He embraced this assignment by first studying California history.

“Beginning with Native communities, all the way back to when California was Mexico, then the Gold Rush, and the waves of Asian migration.  I talked to about fifty individuals and came out … with a lot more information to feed my creative process,” Miguel Zenón explained in his press package.

This work was commissioned by SFJAZZ and the Hewlett Foundation. As he began choosing the instrumentation he would be using and the individuals who would play it, in his mind he heard a brass and rhythm section nonet, along with the captivating guitar master, Miles Okazaki.  He heard percussion and called Daniel Diaz to come be a part of his project.

“He’s a special musician who can play all the percussion, all the street stuff, and read anything,” Zenon praised his percussionist.

Once his mind was clear on what he was going to write and who would play it, the composer/arranger got busy.  Zenón opens this terrific project with “Sacred Land.”  His beautiful solo alto saxophone introduces the composition. Matt Mitchell shines during his piano solo, fingers racing, like startled birds flying across the Golden Gate Bridge. The horns chase the piano solo and create their own flight, harmoniously. Track #3 is titled “Acts of Exclusion” and was written with the Bay Area’s Chinese-American community in mind.  It’s a punchy piece, inspired by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.  On piano, Mitchell explores an atonal sequence in the tune, with the percussion of Daniel Diaz bright and tenacious during the Zenón arrangement. Also, the guitar solo is memorable by Okazaki. Also there is a power-packed drum solo by Dan Weiss.

Zenón’s composition, “Sanctuary City” starts out very sweetly, with his lovely, melodic saxophone establishing the tone and texture of the music. The groove settles into a jazz 6/8 waltz feel. As the curtains part, trombonist Jacob Garchik stands boldly in the spotlight to solo. This is a very beautiful arrangement.  “Cultural Corridor” sounds like a carnival.  It’s a joyful piece, with the horns playing disjointedly over each other, tumbling counter melodies with enthusiasm. This song represents the various geographical areas that house cultures like SOMA Pilipinas, the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District, and Japan-town.

The final tune on this album is simply called, “Golden.”  It sounds like traffic, bathed in car horns and frustration, rather than the beauty, jazz energy and elegance I found in his other compositions.  But you can feel the pace and groove of the city during this composition. Both piano, drums and bass create a rhythm section full of movement and steady excitement. The horn lines mimic a busy highway. This tune features Zenón’s talented brass section. Many of the gifted horn players step forward to solo, including Diego Urcola featured on a brilliant trumpet solo.  Zenón’s music reflects the art, cultural beauty, and resilience in both the city of San Francisco and his compositions. This album will be released August 30, 2024.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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