Jazz musician Miguel Zenon's achievements push regular boundaries

Puerto Rican alto saxophonist, jazz musician Miguel Zenón has achieved many things in his short career. He is a Grammy Nominee, and Fellow of the Guggenheim Museum and the MacArthur Foundation. His achievements surpass most jazz musicians, making him a singular phenomenon within his community.

Zenon grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was always interested in the local folk music, but also studied classical saxophone at the Escuela Libre de Música. He was always interested in jazz, but it was at Berklee College of Music in Boston in the late 1990s when he received his first formal training. He then continued to study at Manhattan School of Music's Jazz Department, lead by drummer and big band director Justin DiCioccio. Miguel's talent was quickly noticed in his new environment, the New York Jazz Community, where several professionals started hiring him to perform, record and tour.

Zenon has long worked with Argentinian pianist Guillermo Klein, Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo and Panaman pianist Danilo Perez. More recently, his many collaborators include The Village Vanguard Orchestra, Bob Moses, The San Francisco Jazz Collective, The Either Orchestra and The Mingus Big Band. These and many other opportunities have offered Zenon experience to become one of today's leaders in the local jazz scene. He has recorded many albums with others, and now five of his own: Looking Forward, for the Spanish label "Fresh Sound New Talent" and Ceremonial, Jíbaro, Awake and Esta Plena, all others for Marsalis music, lead by Branford Marsalis, the brother of the artistic director for Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis.

All these great achievements were recognized when MacArthur Foundation handed a half-a-million dollar fellowship to Miguel in 2008. It spans financial support over several years, during which doesn't need to declare the purpose of use of the funds. Miguel is not yet 35 years old, but he has achieved nearly everything in his field. As recently as in January this year, he performed at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York. Being a very favorable representative of Latin culture in the United States, his next achievements will be as exciting as ever.