Born October 30, 1951 in Laredo, Texas and raised in Norwalk, California, Poncho Sanchez grew up around music. Beginning on guitar, then moving on to teach himself flute, drums, and timbales, he had an ear and a talent for the music scene. His love for music would take him down great avenues and would lead him to great fame, and it is this passion and love for it that sets him apart from the crowd.

It wasn’t until high school that he joined the school band playing the congas, and while this was not one of the more popular instruments, it is clear to see how his background on timbales and drums would give him a great foundation for them. Combine this with the musical influences around him (mambo, cha-cha, rumba, salsa, R & B, and soul), and it was natural progression and one that allowed him to set forth his greatest abilities.

He was also influenced by bebop jazz, and he found a great inspiration in Charlie Parker. Bebop was in its prime at this point, and his idea was to take his knowledge of other styles, like the Afro-Cuban ones mentioned above, and combined them with his love of jazz. The result was one that reeled listeners and fans in by the the thousands – and, might we add, he is still attracting new listeners to this day.

His knowledge of and talent for music was caught the eye of many artists and producers, and his career would entail meetings and jam sessions with many popular artists (Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Hugh Masakela, Clare Fischer and Tower of Power, to name a few). While he admired Tito Punete’s ability in salsa, cha-cha and mambo, and the musicality of Parker’s great solos, his long-time idol was Cal Tjader, a vibraphonist.

And when Sanchez was in his early 20’s he had the opportunity to sit in the great Cal and perform and set with him. After a week of hearing him play, Cal realized his abilities passion for the music, making him a full-time member of his ensemble. This would continue until Cal’s death in 1982.

Cal Tjader was, no doubt, a great influence in Sanchez’s life, but he also helped him in another way. Cal convinced Concord Record’s founder Carl Jefferson to sign Sanchez and his soon-to-be-formed group under the Concord Picante label, and this would lead Sanchez to put out 19 albums, one of which earned him a Grammy.

Sanchez is respected as one of the top American percussionists of our time. He performs frequently in venues varying in size from concert halls to local jazz festivals. His 2005 CD, Do It!, features funk icon Tower of Power on two tracks as well as South African funk master Hugh Masakela.

His latest album was released in 2007 (Concord Picante) and is entitled Raise Your Hand. It includes guest artists Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Andy Montañez, Maceo Parker, and Eddie Floyd and marks his first release in two years. It combines his bedrock Latin jazz style inherited from Cal Tjader, Tito Puente, and Mongo Santamaria with the funky brand of R&B and soul music that inspired him as a teenager. Many comment that it is this ability to combine these styles that makes him so popular and successful as a jazz musician!

For more information about this artist, please visit the official website.

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