Alto saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón was named one of 25 recipients of the 2008 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellowship, an award that pays $500,000 over five years. The winners of the "genius award" are chosen by a secret committee, and they don't know they are under consideration until they have won, when they receive a phone call. Zenón recently released Awake (Marsalis Music), an album that displays his prowess in extended composition, combining traditional jazz with Latin rhythms and modern devices. His 2005 release, Jíbaro, was cited in the MacArthur press release, which describes the music as "a complex yet accessible sound that is overflowing with feeling and passion."
Although jazz musicians have won the award before, Zenón stands out. His music, while innovative and forward-thinking, is considerably more straight ahead than that of past winners, including pianist Cecil Taylor, saxophonist Ken Vandermark, and saxophonist John Zorn.
Photo Courtesy of Marsalis Music
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