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Miguel Zenon
5 March 2021
Saxophonist Miguel Zenón has been a Guggenheim and MacArthur fellow, and he is known for innovative composition and fresh concepts in improvised music. But he is also the kind of creative big thinker who is always aware of the history that his work is built on.
Perhaps that is why so many of his recent projects have been nods to artists and traditions that preceded him. “There is something to that,” he tells PopMatters. “It’s part of the tradition of creative music to build on what was laid out before you. I’ve always felt fortunate to be inspired by this history and tradition. And part of the tradition is tipping your hat.”
Matthew Alec & The Soul Electric –
Cleveland Time (Cleveland Time): “Cleveland Time marks the first album release from the group that features Matthew Alec (tenor saxophone and EWI), Brian Woods (piano, keyboards, organs, plus vocals on “Give What You Take” and “Baby You Got Me”), Steven Forest Sanders (guitar, plus vocals on “Enigma Man”), Jared Lees (bass), Jeremiah Hawkins (percussion, plus drums on “Baby You Got Me”), and Leon Henault (drums). The album also features special guests Tom ‘Bones’ Malone (trombone and horn section on “Cleveland Time”), MINUS THE ALIEN (vocals on “Cleveland Time”), and Tim Coyne (trumpet on “Blues For McCoy” and “Enigma Man”)…. “This album has a little bit of everything in it which is exactly what I set out to do,” says saxophonist Matthew Alec. “I wanted a few tunes that were short with strong hooks that would capture people’s attention, I wanted to feature our two vocalists on a tune of their own,