At age 10 he received his first lessons on music theory and solfeggio from Ernesto Vigoreaux,[7] an elderly gentleman who traveled from the adjacent neighborhood of Villa Palmeras to Llorens Torres every day in order to work with disadvantaged youth in the community.

[10] After a year and a half worth of efforts to gather enough funds in scholarships and financial aid, Zenón moved to Boston in the spring of 1996 to begin his studies at Berklee College of Music.

[12] After graduating from Berklee in 1996,[13] Zenón attended Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Dick Oatts, Nils Vigeland and Ludmila Ulehla and received a master's degree in Performance in 2001 before settling in New York City.

[14] As a sideman, he has worked with SFJAZZ Collective, Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Guillermo Klein & Los Guachos, David Sánchez, Danilo Pérez, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Kurt Elling, The Mingus Big Band, Ray Barreto, Jerry González & The Fort Apache Band, Jeff Ballard Trio, Miles Okazaki, Dan Weiss, Dan Tepfer, Bobby Hutcherson, Steve Coleman, Andy Montañez, Brian Lynch, Antonio Sánchez, Joey Calderazzo and Paoli Mejías.

In 2005 Sanchez began working regularly with The Pat Metheny Group, and was replaced in the Quartet by Puerto Rican drummer Henry Cole, for what has become the longest running version of the ensemble.

[2][53] In 2022 he received an Honorary Doctorate in The Arts from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the highest honor bestowed by the institution.

SFJAZZ Collective The Liberation Music Orchestra With César Cardoso With Hans Glawischnig With Charlie Haden With Guillermo Klein With Brian Lynch With Paoli Mejias With Miles Okazaki With Luis Perdomo With David Sánchez With others