Miguel Zenón is a New York jazz saxophonist and composer who plays straight-ahead jazz, but is always connected with his Puerto Rican roots. He plays with many, many people, both as a leader and as a sideman.
Zenón is a multiple Grammy nominee, MacArthur Fellow, and Guggenheim Fellow. He is the 2023 Ken Pullig Visiting Scholar at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Miguel Zenón in New York City
Miguel Zenón & Dos Alas featuring Cuban pianist Camila Cortina Bello, celebrate the music of Puerto Rican composer Rafaél Hernández and Cuban trova composer Pablo Milanes; at the Jazz Gallery jazz club in NoMad, Manhattan; on Friday-Saturday, March 8-9, 2024 at 7:30pm & 9:30pm. From $35. Tables $45. jazzgallery.org 🇵🇷 🇨🇺
- Rafaél Hernández (1892-1965) wrote hundreds of popular Latin American songs in bolero and other traditions. 🇵🇷
- Pablo Milanes (1943-2022) was one of the founders of the Cuban nueva trova (protest folk music) traditions. 🇨🇺
Miguel Zenón is a Multiple Grammy Nominee and MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow
Zenón is a multiple Grammy nominee, and MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow. He is a popular sideman with countless bands. Miguel a busy guy and very respected in the music industry.
Like a few of the giants of jazz in New York City, Zenón gives back to the community a lot. He’s a major artist but is willing to lend his brand power to some small venues. We really respect Miguel. He’s a great artist, who is very smart, and very generous. ¡WEPA!
The Miguel Zenón Quartet is:
- Miguel Zenón on alto sax 🇵🇷
- Louis Perdomo on piano 🇻🇪
- Hans Glawischnig on bass
- Henry Cole on drums 🇵🇷
New York Venues
- Americas Society
- Birdland
- Carnegie Hall Citywide
- Dizzy’s Club
- Harlem Stage
- Hispanic Society
- Hostos Center
- Jazz Gallery
- Nublu 151
- Roulette Intermedium
- Symphony Space
- Teatro LATEA
- Village Vanguard
Albums
In twenty years, Zenón has cut fifteen albums of his own, and been a sideman on many more.
- “Música de las Américas” (2022) was nominated for a Grammy.
- “El Arte Del Bolero with Luis Perdomo” (2021) was nominated for a Grammy. Perdomo is Zenón’s pianist.
- “Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera” (2019) was nominated for a Grammy. In Puerto Rico, Ismael Rivera was one of the most beloved salseros. He and Rafael Cortijo put Puerto Rican bomba rhythms into what we now call salsa. Rivera’s band reformed into El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, the most popular salsa band of all time, and an incubator for many great artists.
- “Yo Soy La Tradición” (2018) was nominated for a Grammy.
Do you see a pattern here? Zenón is a great artist.