Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón was raised in Residencial Luis Llorens Torres, the largest housing project in the Island. Although he didn't grow up in a family of musicians, he was nevertheless exposed to various styles of music from a very early age. At age 10 he received his first lessons on music theory and solfeggio from Ernesto Vigoreaux,[7] an elderly gentleman who traveled from the adjacent neighborhood of Villa Palmeras to Llorens Torres every day in order to work with disadvantaged youth in the community.[8] Zenón would eventually be admitted to Escuela Libre de Música, a performing arts middle school and high school where he was trained for six years on classical saxophone by Angel Marrero.[9] On the 11th grade he was exposed to jazz music by some of his friends at the school and became very interested in the concept of improvisation and on the music of jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. Although he had always shown interest in the natural sciences, he declined an engineering scholarship from the Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez (the foremost engineering institution in the Island) and decided to pursue a career in music.[10] After a year and a half worth of efforts to gather enough funds in scholarships and financial aid, Zenón moved to Boston in the spring of 1996 to begin his studies at Berklee College of Music.[11]
In 1999 Zenón started getting together with Mexican drummer Antonio Sánchez (who he met at Berklee College of Music), Austrian bassist Hans Glawischnig (Zenón's bandmate in the David Sanchez Group) and Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo (a classmate of Glawischnig's at The Manhattan School of Music). They would meet for informal rehearsal sessions at Glawischnig's apartment in New York's Upper West Side and play through some of Zenón's early compositions. The group, which would eventually become the Miguel Zenón Quartet,[15] soon started performing at various venues in the city, such as the C Note and The Jazz Gallery. In 2005 Sanchez began working regularly with The Pat Metheny Group, and was replaced in the Quartet by Puerto Rican drummer Henry Cole, for what has become the longest running version of the ensemble.[16][17]
Recordings as leader
Looking Forward (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2002): Recommended by some of his peers, Miguel Zenón reached a deal with the Spanish record label Fresh Sound New Talent, which released his first album as a leader. The recording featured his working Quartet (with Perdomo, Glawischnig and Sanchez) and included many special guests, such as saxophonist David Sanchez, guitarist Ben Monder and percussionist Pernell Saturnino.[18] The album was selected by the New York Times as the top "Alternative" jazz recording of 2002.[19]
Ceremonial (Marsalis Music, 2004): After Zenón's first release, he was approached by saxophonist Branford Marsalis (whom Zenón had met while working with David Sanchez) to join his newly formed record label Marsalis Music. Zenón was signed to a multi-record deal and released his second album as a leader with the label.[20] The album featured the Quartet performing his original compositions plus an arrangement of the Gospel Hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness". Ceremonial was described by All About Jazz as a "recording (that) brings not only Latin persuasions but also a refined mix of contemporary, classic, and global influences… Highly recommended".[21]
Jíbaro (Marsalis Music, 2005): His third recording as a leader featured original compositions inspired by elements coming from la La Música Jibara, a style of folk music from the rural areas of Puerto Rico. About Jíbaro, Jazz Times Magazine wrote: "A searing modern-jazz sound, a quartet sensibility that Zenon and his mates have spent years developing. The result is profound yet joyful, as rhythmically precise as it is lyrical and limber."[22]
Awake (Marsalis Music, 2008): Zenón's fourth release, and the first to incorporate Henry Cole on the drum chair, incorporates a string quartet and additional horns to Zenón's core group for and outing of original compositions.
Esta Plena (Marsalis Music, 2009): His fifth album was inspired by Plena music from Puerto Rico, with original compositions supported by a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.[23] On it Zenón augmented his quartet to include three percussionist/vocalists and took on the additional roles of both lyricist and vocalist. Esta Plena received two Grammy nominations[24] (Best Improvised Solo and Best Latin Jazz Album) and a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[25]
Alma Adentro (Marsalis Music, 2011): A tribute to the Puerto Rican Songbook on which Zenón arranged the music of five Puerto Rican composers: Bobby Capo, Tite Curet Alonso, Pedro Flores, Rafael Hernandez and Sylvia Rexach. The recording features his Quartet plus a ten-piece woodwind ensemble orchestrated and conducted by Guillermo Klein. Alma Adentro was chosen as the Best Jazz Recording of 2011 by iTunes and NPR,[26] and received a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album[27] plus a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Album.[28]
Rayuela (Sunnyside Records, 2012): A collaboration with French pianist/composer Laurent Coq, this album was inspired on the book of the same name by Argentinean writer Julio Cortazar. The recording also features Dana Leong (on cello and trombone) and Dan Weiss (on tabla, drums and percussion).
Oye!!! Live in Puerto Rico (Miel Music, 2013): Zenón's eight recording as a leader (and first for his independent label Miel Music) features the debut recording of The Rhythm Collective, an ensemble first put together in 2003 for a month long tour of West Africa. The "all Puerto Rican" group includes Aldemar Valentín on electric bass, Tony Escapa on drums and Reinaldo de Jesus on percussion.
Identities Are Changeable (Miel Music, 2014): Inspired by the idea of national identity as experienced by the Puerto Rican community in the United States, specifically in the New York City area. The music on the album was written around a series of interviews with several individuals, all of them New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent. The album, which is also complemented by a video installment by David Dempewolf, features his Quartet plus a twelve-piece Big Band. Identities Are Changeable received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[29]
Típico (Miel Music, 2017): Celebrates the Miguel Zenón Quartet, his working band of more than 15 years. The album features original music by Zenón, which was specifically written for the members of the Quartet and directly inspired by their individual playing and personalities. Típico received a Grammy nomination and a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[1]
Yo Soy La Tradición (Miel Music, 2018): Original compositions by Zenón, inspired by various cultural and musical traditions from Puerto Rico. The music is scored for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet and features Spektral Quartet, a string ensemble based in Chicago, IL. Yo Soy La Tradición received a Grammy nomination and a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[1]
Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music, 2019): A tribute to the legendary Puerto Rican Salsa icon Ismael Rivera, with arrangements by Zenón interpreted by his Quartet. Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera received a Grammy nomination and a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[1]
El Arte Del Bolero (Miel Music, 2021): A duo recording with Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo. The album was recorded live at The Jazz Gallery in NYC during the COVID-19 Pandemic and features Boleros and other songs from the Latin American Songbook. El Arte Del Bolero received a Grammy nomination and a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[30]
Law Years: The Music Of Ornette Coleman (Miel Music, 2021): Recorded live in May 2019 at the Bird's Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland, along with saxophonist Ariel Bringuez, bassist Demian Cabaud and drummer Jordi Rossy. It features the music of saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman.
Música De Las Américas (Miel Music, 2022): Featuring original music by Zenón, all inspired by the history of the American continent. The album showcases his longstanding quartet of pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Henry Cole, with special contributions from the Puerto Rican plena ensemble Los Pleneros de La Cresta and percussionists Paoli Mejías, Daniel Díaz and Victor Emmanuelli. Música De Las Americas received a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album.[1]
In 2011 Zenón founded Caravana Cultural, an initiative that organizes free-of-charge jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico. Each concert focuses on the music of a distinguished jazz figure (Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington, among others) and is preceded by a presentation that touches on the basic elements of jazz and improvisation. The concert also incorporates young musicians from the community, who join the band on the last piece of the concert. Caravana Cultural, which is funded and produced by Zenón, looks to make a "social investment" in the island using jazz as a vehicle to advocate for cultural accessibility.[49]
Awards and honors
He won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album with his recording El Arte del Bolero, Vol. 2.[50] He also topped both the Jazz Artist of the Year and Alto Saxophonist of the Year categories on the 2014 Jazz Times Critics Poll[51] and was selected as Alto Saxophonist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020 (when he was also recognized as Arranger of the Year). In 2023 he was recognized by the same organization as the Composer of the Year.[52] Zenón is a twelve-time Grammy nominee[1] and a seven-time Latin Grammy nominee.[28] In 2008 he received a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation[23] (which resulted in his recording Esta Plena) and later that year also received a fellowship from the MacArthur Foundation.[2][53] In 2022 he received an Honorary Doctorate in The Arts from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the highest honor bestowed by the institution.[5]
The 2023 Puerto Rico Master Card Jazz Festival (formerly Heineken Jazz Festival) was dedicated to Zenón and his career, featuring his working band along with many special guests. In 2024 he received the Doris Duke Artist Award.
