Multiple Grammy and Guggenheim Award Nominee, and MacArthur Fellow, Miguel Zenón is part of the exclusive group of musicians who have perfectly balanced the often contradictory poles of innovation and tradition. Considered one of the most original saxophonists of his generation, Zenón has developed his own identity as a composer, focusing on the fusion of Latin American folk music and jazz.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón has released twelve albums under his name, including his Grammy-nominated album “Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera” (2019), which he presents during this tour. He has collaborated with top-tier groups and artists like The SFJAZZ Collective, Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Pérez, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Kurt Elling, Guillermo Klein & Los Guachos, The Jeff Ballard Trio, Antonio Sánchez, David Gilmore, Paoli Mejías, Brian Lynch, Jason Lindner, Miles Okazaki, Ray Barreto, Andy Montañez, Jerry González & The Fort Apache Band, The Mingus Big Band, Bobby Hutcherson, and Steve Coleman.
Zenón has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and The Chicago Tribune. Additionally, he was named Jazz Artist and Alto Saxophonist of the Year by JazzTimes Magazine in 2014 and by the Jazz Journalist Association in 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
As a composer, he has received commissions from SFJAZZ, NYO Jazz, The New York State Council for the Arts, Chamber Music America, Logan Center for The Arts, The Hyde Park Jazz Festival, The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, MIT, Jazz Reach, Peak Performances, and PRISM Quartet. In addition to his music career, Zenón has also been a dedicated educator, offering masterclasses at institutions worldwide. He is a permanent faculty member at The New England Conservatory and The Manhattan School of Music, and is currently a Resident Artist at the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University. In 2011, he created Caravana Cultural, a program that organizes free jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico. In 2008, Zenón received a prestigious fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the MacArthur Fellowship.
