Ceremonial
Recorded after a successful European tour, Miguel Zenón's quartet is engaged in both the material and with another on this album. The seven original tracks and two covers offer a bracing mix of Latin rhythms and melodic sensibilities with jazz phrasing and harmonics. From the celebratory bearing of the opening "Leyenda" (by Silvio Rodriguez) to the closing spiritual "Great Is Thy Faithfulness," emotional vitality runs though it all. On "Transfiguration," Zenón's alto saxophone runs wonderful lyrical circles around the evocatively reverbed and wordless vocals of guestLuciana Souza. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, his homeland lies at the heart of his compositional sensibilities. He writes ballads of staggering beauty ("A Reminder of Us") as well as post-bop inspired workouts ("Ya"). Pianist Luis Perdomo is a forceful rhythmic player, as well as being chordally inventive.--David Greenberger