Between Rhythm and Memory: A Night with the Miguel Zenón Quartet

I went to The Hobby Center to attend Vanguardia Subterránea: Latin American Perspectives in Jazz with the Miguel Zenón Quartet, and here is my review:

Composing music to be experienced by a collective is a central philosophy for Miguel. His ability to remain with the same band for over twenty years has allowed him to cultivate compositions that play to their strengths and enhance their joint sound.

Miguel connects to identity through music, and it begs the question: “How does aesthetic expression influence creativity and define social distinction?”

For Miguel, it extends beyond music. He strives to touch the essence of human nature by sharing his culture. Growing up in Puerto Rico and moving to the U.S. to explore jazz, he was able to discover more about his heritage,  “injecting a feeling of pride that [he] didn't feel while there. It took [him] being away to appreciate what [he could] bring that is unique.”

When listening to him play from the soul, it is evident that his reverence for Latin American culture radiates through him.

Sensual, seductive, and smooth, Miguel flirts effortlessly with the melody, using his saxophone as a serenading guide through boisterous soundscapes. The band moves in experimental synchronicity, capturing the audience’s attention with a dialogue between rhythm and memory. You’re transported through Latin streets alive with color as vibrant as the tune that makes you want to dance.

The sultry timbre of the saxophone pleads and demands attention: feel me, allow me to share my story of how I had to create distinction amongst the chairs and make it sound beautiful.
This jazz embodies the triumph of what it means to transcend distraction and heartache through devotion to craft, how we create joy out of resilience. What I have to offer will be heard and received.

Throughout the journey, there are seasons of dedication. We become immersed in creation, gaining momentum to share brilliance. The crescendo suspends the listener in a realm of chaos and transformation until the saxophone emerges through the layers into a solo refrain that demands precedence.

How do we create distinction of self through the cultures we celebrate and the society that attempts to erase us? We continue to create — with dignity.

Life is meant to be celebrated. Through relationships, experiences, and our gifts, we deserve to recognize our history and our existence as a sacred ritual.

Listen to Miguel Zenón Quartet’s new album and learn more at miguelzenon.com