Luciana kicks off summer with new releases
9 years ago
United States Poncho Sanchez has established a career as a Grammy Award-winning conguero, bandleader, and vocalist, recognized for his contributions to Latin jazz and salsa music.
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Request A ShowFor more than three decades, conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straightahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms. GRAMMY Award-winning conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straight-ahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms. In collaboration with Torres, Sanchez also penned two brand-new pieces inspired by Coltrane. The bustling title tune is a lively encapsulation. Sanchez then shifted his focus to his own group, which he had formed in 1980, and signed with powerhouse label Concord for the release of 'Sonando', beginning a prolific musical partnership that spans 30 years.
GRAMMY Award-winning conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straight-ahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms.
Throughout his career, the conguero has held aloft the torch lit by such innovators as Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente and Cal Tjader ...
For more than three decades, conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straightahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and ...
Conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straight-ahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms from a variety of Latin ...
Sanchez then shifted his focus to his own group, which he had formed in 1980, and signed with powerhouse label Concord for the release of 'Sonando', beginning a ...
That same year, he signed with Concord for the release of Sonando!, an album that marked the beginning of a prolific musical partnership that spans 30 years and ...
Poncho Sánchez, widely recognized as one of the most influential Latin jazz percussionists of the modern era, has carved a distinctive path in music.
Grammy-award winning artist Poncho Sanchez taught a master class on Tuesday to help students learn more about Latin jazz music.
Ildefonso “Poncho” Sanchez was born on October 30, 1951, in Laredo, Texas, and raised in Norwalk, California. As the youngest of eleven children, Sanchez was exposed to a diverse musical environment, shaped by Afro-Cuban genres such as mambo, son, and rumba, alongside bebop jazz from artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Initially a guitarist, he discovered his vocal talent during an audition for the R&B band The Halos. Sanchez later taught himself flute, drums, and timbales, eventually focusing on conga drumming as his primary instrument. He attended Cerritos College, continuing to develop his musical skills.
Sanchez’s professional career began to flourish in 1975 when he was invited by vibraphonist Cal Tjader to perform with his band. Tjader recognized Sanchez’s talent and soon offered him a full-time position as a conguero, a role he maintained until Tjader’s passing in 1982. This period was pivotal in shaping Sanchez’s musical direction. Following Tjader’s recommendation, Concord Records founder Carl Jefferson signed Sanchez and his newly formed group to the Concord Picante label. Sanchez would then release 19 albums under this label, beginning with “Sonando” which marked the start of a 30-year collaboration.
Throughout his extensive career, Poncho Sanchez has released numerous albums and collaborated with a range of notable artists, including Mongo Santamaría, Hugh Masekela, Clare Fischer, and Tower of Power. His work earned him a Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2000 for “Latin Soul.” AllMusic has acknowledged Sanchez as one of the most influential percussionists in jazz. He has continued to perform in various venues, from concert halls to jazz festivals, and was recognized with a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. His career demonstrates sustained dedication to Latin jazz, maintaining the integrity and evolution of the genre.
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