Review: Miguel Zenon and Luis Perdomo’s ‘El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3’

The ongoing duo of alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon and pianist, Luis Perdomo, has reached its third installment with El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3 (Miel, 2026). The album comes following much anticipation after its immediate predecessor won a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2024. The bolero itself is a romantic, slow-dancing ballad form born in eastern Cuba in the 1880s. Its popularity took hold in the Twentieth Century, and it was heard on radio stations across the globe. From there, the form found adherents across the Western hemisphere, a pull only further magnified by the number of film scores that have used it as well. And while both Puerto Rican Zenón and the Venezuelan Perfomo are unquestionably familiar with these later developments, the roots of the songs across their series go much deeper for both artists: Songs or strains thereof have been sung in their family homes for generations. They inevitably hold emotional meaning and trigger memories.  

But the duo is also not blindly bound to the songs’ original forms. Instead, they approach them much as jazz musicians address the Great American Songbook. They respect the originals while finding their own phrasing, nuances, and harmonic discoveries. In their case, much of the magic can be attributed to the twenty-seven-year tight chemistry between the two. A melody might trigger a new chord. That new chord may open up further possibilities. The longterm collaborative relationship essentially further frees the artists to stretch what is before them. As Zenon notes, “There is a concept behind it, but the performances are very off-the-cuff and involve very few takes. We just go in and play! We recorded this music as a concert, in one take, without any preparation other than some conversations about keys and basic structures.” His sweet, fluid, and melodious – among the best of today’s alto players – certainly doesn’t hurt either.

Again, the repertoire is classic tunes in the history of various Latin musical forms. They include “La Gloria Res Tu,” “Señora,” “El Día Que Me Quieras,” “Un Amor De La Calle,” “Sombras,” “Corvencia,” “Verdad Amarga,” and “De Que Callada Manera.” But one must stress the vitality in these songs that the description of romantic, slow-dancing ballad belies. Case in point is “Señora” from the songbook of the great Spanish songstress Rocío Jurado. A huge star in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Zenon’s mother counted among Jurado’s many fans and the song’s melody one that has stuck with him for years. Here, it is played with an animated spirit. Another astute reinterpretation can be found in the oft-covered opener, “La Gloria Eres Tu.” The duo’s version reveals similarities in the song’s structure to such archetypes as “Just Friends” and “After You’ve Gone,” making it an excellent vehicle for his improvised solo.  

According to Zenon, Carlos Gardel’s “El Día Que Me Quieras” is the prototypical tango. Here, one can hone in on the saxophonist’s astute lyricism as it is articulated like a breathy vocalist, while Perdomo’s chord choices and breathtaking runs are simply gorgeous. “Un Amor De La Calle,” once a mega hit by the vocalist Hector Lavoe, features a yearning melody. The duo took liberty with its tempo and pace, while turning the horn line from the original version into a vamp for improvisation, which becomes more apparent in the second section.  

“Corvencia” comes from Cuba’s “Filin” (for “Feeling)” era, a time in which jazz heavily influenced Cuban culture. The period is also not without its own contemporary fans; for one, Melissa Aladana’s most recent album, Filin (Blue Note, 2026) honors the period as well. And one can certainly sense the reason for such affinity on “Corvencia” where poetic lyrics and unique scalar passages produce one of the album’s most memorable tracks. Perdomo opens the piece a positively glistening fashion on Mexican composer Consuelo Velasquez’s true bolero.  Zenon admits that the bridge was borrowed from Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, for whom the tune was a staple.

“Sombras” begins with Perdomo’s rhythmic kick but Zenon settles into a balladeer mode as the two explore diverse styles of South American music, having fun with the broken triplet feel. Finally, “De Qué Callada Manera” is a more modern piece, composed by Cuban singer and songwriter Pablo Milanes. A bit of the clave rises to the fore, evoking salsa music. Fittingly. Zenon attributesthe arrangement to Puerto Rican legend and piano master Papo Lucca.  

Given the spontaneity of the session in which the third volume of El Arte del Bolero was born, the fluidity of its pieces is remarkable. Expect the lilting melodies and the easy flowing improvisations built on them to garner yet more awards.  

‘El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 3’ is out now on Miel Music. It can be purchased on Bandcamp.