Miguel Zenón and Esta Plena

The achy precision in alto saxist Miguel Zenón's tone was apparent from the moment he arrived in New York from Berklee College of Music in the late ’90s. But as the saxist took on starring roles in the SFJazz Collective, Guillermo Klein’s Los Guachos and Charlie Haden’s Land of the Sun ensemble, his playing became rapturously direct. The MacArthur Foundation must have noticed, having awarded Zenón a "genius" grant.