Jíbaro / Jibaro

Altoist Miguel Zenón, a talented player with a tone almost as light as Paul Desmond's who first gained recognition for his work while with David Sanchez's group, pays tribute to the musical culture of Puerto Rico on Jibaro. Although he wrote all ten of the selections and does not use traditional Puerto Rican instrumentation (which would be cuatro, guiro, bongo, and vocals), Zenón brings back the spirit of his heritage. With its polyrhythms and Zenón's wide-ranging improvisations, one could call this new music avant-Latin, although it not as outside as some of Sanchez's work, but the rich themes and tight communication by the members of Zenón's quartet show that the modernized style has a logic and charm all its own. This is an impressive effort, one that grows in interest with each listen.