Miguel Zenón Quintet Opens Berklee's Signature Series October 19

The Signature Series at Berklee returns with the Miguel Zenón Berklee Quintet at the Red Room at Cafe 939 on Tuesday, October 19, at 8:00 p.m. Zenón, an alto saxophonist and Berklee alumnus, will lead a student ensemble that includes Noam Tanzer on bass, Ray Logan on tenor saxophone, Naomi Nakanishi on piano, and Guilhem Fourty on drums. Edmar Colón, assistant professor in the Woodwind Department, auditioned and selected the students and has been rehearsing the group in Zenón’s chosen repertoire.

“I’m very excited to be working with such a talented group of young musicians in preparation for our upcoming concert in October,” says Zenón. “Performing at Berklee is always a treat, so I’m really looking forward to our event there and getting the opportunity to interact with the whole Berklee community.”

Zenón is widely considered to be one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists and composers of his generation. Since 2002, he has released 14 recordings as a bandleader, including the Grammy-nominated albums Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (2019), Yo Soy La Tradición (2018), and Típico (2017). As a sideman, he has recorded on more than 75 albums going back to 1998.

Earlier this year, Zenón released two albums: Law Years: The Music of Ornette Coleman, a tribute to legendary saxophonist and composer recorded live at the Bird’s Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland, with saxophonist Ariel Bringuez, bassist Demian Cabaud, and drummer Jordi Rossy; and El Arte Del Bolero with Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo, which recently earned a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album.

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Zenón divides his time equally between working with older jazz masters and the genre’s younger innovators. A Guggenheim and MacArthur fellow, he is also a prominent jazz educator. In 2011, he founded Caravana Cultural, a program that presents free jazz concerts in rural areas of Puerto Rico. Each concert focuses on the music of a specific jazz legend, such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, or Miles Davis, and includes a preconcert discussion on the basic elements of jazz and improvisation.

The Red Room at Cafe 939 is located at 939 Boylston Street, Boston. Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and $5 with a Berklee ID. This is a seated event. Tickets are available online and at the Berklee Performance Center box office.

Berklee's Live Event Attendance Policy

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Attendees may provide these documents in physical/paper form, by photocopy, or a photo on a phone as long as all information is clearly visible and readable. Photos of at-home tests must be time-stamped. Masks will be required indoors regardless of vaccination or negative test status. Attendees must bring their own masks and wear them over the nose and mouth.