MIGUEL ZENON & LUIS PERDOMO

BARUCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | MANHATTAN / JUNE 2

The bolero – that deeply romantic song form born in Cuba in the late nineteenth century – has shaped Latin American musical identity for generations. Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón and pianist Luis Perdomo bring their collaborative project exploring this tradition to the stage. Both musicians share Puerto Rican heritage and decades of experience navigating jazz's highest levels. Miguel, a four-time GRAMMY Award nominee and MacArthur Fellow, has built a career investigating the intersections of jazz improvisation and Latin American folk forms. Luis brings harmonic sophistication rooted in the Venezuelan music of his childhood. Their duo project strips the bolero to its emotional essence. Without drums or bass, the music breathes differently – intimate, conversational, unhurried. The saxophonist's melodic lines recall the vocal phrasing that made bolero singers legendary, while the pianist provides both rhythmic foundation and contrapuntal commentary.