Marsalis Music to Relase Two Albums in May

Marsalis Music is set to release two new albums in May: Doug Wamble’s Bluestate and Miguel Zenon’s Jibaro.

Wamble (a “one-man compendium of avant Americana,” according to the New Yorker) is known for his amalgam of jazz, blues, gospel and country music and will be releasing his sophomore effort after the success of his first album Country Libations. Available May 10, Bluestate features the guitarist/singer/composer with his regular rhythm section of pianist Roy Dunlap, bassist Jeff Hanley and drummer Peter Miles.

“Playing night after night focused us more in a jazz direction but, in an odd way, it brought out the other eclectic stuff as well. The disparate elements are coming together in a more cohesive way,” he said in a press release. This eclectic tendency can be found in the six original compositions on the album, which also features a contribution from Dunlap and classic songs by Peter Gabriel, Mahalia Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

On Jibaro, available on May 24, alto saxophonist Zenon (pictured) decided to create a set of compositions inspired by music from the rural regions of his native Puerto Rico. Zenon, along with his band of pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Antonio Sanchez, has already been performing the 10 pieces on the album and has received many positive reviews from sources including the New York Times.

Originally Published March 28, 2005