David Sanchez is a well known, 2005 Grammy winning jazz tenor saxophonist from Guaynabo,
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
born in September 1968.
Sanchez took up the conga when he was eight and started playing tenor saxophone at age 12. The earliest influences were
Afro-CaribbeanAfro-Caribbean music is a broad term for music styles originated in the Caribbean area, most notably music of Cuba, music of Puerto Rico, music of Haiti, music of Jamaica, music of the Dominican Republic and music of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a subcategory of Latin music....
and
danzaDanza is a musical genre native to the Caribbean, which was derived from the contradanza. They were both sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to music that was instrumental. Neither the contradanza nor the danza were sung genres: this is a contrast with the habanera, which...
but also European and Latin classical. At 12 Sanchez attended La Escuela Libre de Musica which emphasized formal musical studies and classical European styles and two years later, 1982, was much taken with a
Miles DavisMiles Davis III was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer.Widely considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music including cool jazz, hard bop, free jazz...
album,
Basic Miles, featuring
John ColtraneJohn William "Trane" Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
as well as
Lady in SatinLady in Satin is an album by jazz singer Billie Holiday released in 1958 on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 1157 in mono and CS 8048 in stereo. It is the final album completed by the singer and released in her lifetime...
, a 1958 album by
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing...
with strings, arranged and conducted by
Ray EllisRay Ellis was an American record producer, arranger and conductor. The orchestration for Billie Holiday's Lady in Satin is probably his best known work in the jazz vein.-Biography:...
.
David Sanchez is a well known, 2005 Grammy winning jazz tenor saxophonist from Guaynabo,
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
born in September 1968.
Early life
Sanchez took up the conga when he was eight and started playing tenor saxophone at age 12. The earliest influences were
Afro-CaribbeanAfro-Caribbean music is a broad term for music styles originated in the Caribbean area, most notably music of Cuba, music of Puerto Rico, music of Haiti, music of Jamaica, music of the Dominican Republic and music of Trinidad and Tobago. It is a subcategory of Latin music....
and
danzaDanza is a musical genre native to the Caribbean, which was derived from the contradanza. They were both sequence dances, performed to a pattern, usually of squares, to music that was instrumental. Neither the contradanza nor the danza were sung genres: this is a contrast with the habanera, which...
but also European and Latin classical. At 12 Sanchez attended La Escuela Libre de Musica which emphasized formal musical studies and classical European styles and two years later, 1982, was much taken with a
Miles DavisMiles Davis III was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer.Widely considered one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music including cool jazz, hard bop, free jazz...
album,
Basic Miles, featuring
John ColtraneJohn William "Trane" Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
as well as
Lady in SatinLady in Satin is an album by jazz singer Billie Holiday released in 1958 on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 1157 in mono and CS 8048 in stereo. It is the final album completed by the singer and released in her lifetime...
, a 1958 album by
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing...
with strings, arranged and conducted by
Ray EllisRay Ellis was an American record producer, arranger and conductor. The orchestration for Billie Holiday's Lady in Satin is probably his best known work in the jazz vein.-Biography:...
. Sanchez considered a college career in psychology but auditioned at Berklee and
Rutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in the state of New Jersey. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766 and is the eighth-oldest college in the United States...
. Sanchez chose Rutgers because he got a better scholarship and was near New York which was Sanchez' goal. While at Rutgers, Sanchez studied with
Kenny BarronKenny Barron , is a United States jazz pianist. He is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, and known for his lyrical, adaptive style.-Biography:...
,
Ted DunbarTed Dunbar was a jazz guitarist, composer, and educator. He published four volumes on jazz. He trained as a pharmacist at Texas Southern University, but by the 1970s only did pharmacy work part-time. He was also a trained numerologist and had studied other aspects of mysticism...
, and
John PurcellJohn Purcell VC was a Irish soldier in the British Army who received the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
.
Career Takes off
After a period freelancing in
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
with many top Latin players (including
Paquito D'RiveraPaquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist.-Biography:Paquito was a child prodigy...
and
Claudio RoditiClaudio Roditi is a Brazilian jazz trumpeter.After arriving in the United States in 1970, he began to study at Berklee School of Music, where he became musically influenced by Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan...
), Sanchez joined Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra in 1990 and Dizzy became Sanchez' mentor. Dizzy's group toured 27 countries, and 100 U.S. cities in 31 states, and also saw other notable musicians (
Flora PurimFlora Purim is a Brazilian jazz singer known mainly for her work in the jazz fusion style. She became prominent for her part in Chick Corea's landmark album Return to Forever...
for example, another Grammy Award nominee). After the United Nation Orchestra Sanchez continued to play with Dizzy until Dizzy died in 1993, mainly in Dizzy's Trio with
Mike LongoMichael Josef "Mike" Longo is a jazz pianist, composer, and author. He is most known for his work with Dizzy Gillespie.-Background:...
. Since then he has toured with the Philip Morris SuperBand, recorded with
Slide HamptonLocksley Wellington "Slide" Hampton is an American jazz trombonist, composer and arranger.He was a 1998 Grammy Award winner for "Best Jazz Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist", as arranger for "Cotton Tail" performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater...
and his Jazz Masters, Charlie Sepulveda, Roy Hargrove,
Kenny Drew, Jr.Kenny Drew, Jr. , son of jazz pianist Kenny Drew, is an American jazz pianist. His music is known for its hard-swinging bluesy sound and large, two-handed rooty chords contrasting with fast runs. His style is said to be similar to that of his father and Oscar Peterson. His initial study was in...
,
Ryan KisorRyan Kisor is an American jazz trumpeter.A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Kisor learned trumpet from his father Larry Kisor and started playing in bands at age ten. He won the inaugural trumpet competition at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in 1990...
,
Danilo Perez-Early life:Danilo Pérez was born in Panama in 1966. He is considered one of the finest contemporary pianists and jazz composers of our era.Danilo started his musical training at 3 years old with his father Danilo Sr, a professional bandleader and singer, gave Danilo Jr. his first set of bongos...
,
Rachel ZRachel Carmel Nicolazzo better known as Rachel Z, is a jazz pianist. She attended the Berklee College of Music Summer School and Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, where she launched the quintet, Nardis, whilst studying with Joanne Brackeen and Richie Beirachin NYC. Later Rachel Z graduated...
, and
Hilton RuizHilton Ruiz was a Puerto Rican American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player.Ruiz began playing piano at the age of eight, and gigged with Freddie Hubbard and Joe Newman when he was young...
, and headed his own sessions for
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label founded in 1888.Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia Records went on to release records by an array of notable singers,...
.
Lead Musician
Since joining Columbia Records, Sanchez has released seven albums/CDs. Sanchez was much affected by 9-11 and the devastation of
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and this partly delayed his music released. But Sanchez was able to put together a very international situation for his real followup after 9-11. In 2005 Sanchez won the
Grammy awardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for his 2004
Coral which was two years in the making. Recorded in The
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
with The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra,
Coral features a sextet: alto saxophonist
Miguel ZenónMiguel Zenón is an alto saxophonist, composer and bandleader.-Biography:Miguel Zenón was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While studying at the Escuela Libre de Musica in San Juan, he won a scholarship to the “Berklee in Puerto Rico” program of the Berklee College of Music and a scholarship to...
, pianist Edsel Gomez, bassists
John BenitezJohn Benitez, better known as "Jellybean Benitez" is an American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, DJ, remixer and music producer of Puerto Rican descent...
and
Ben StreetBen Street is a New York-area jazz double-bassist. He has played with many great jazz artists, notably Kurt Rosenwinkel on the Album "Next Step," Ben Monder on the Album "Dust" and the legendary Sam Rivers on the Album "Violet Violets."...
, drummer
Adam CruzAdam Cruz is an American jazz drummer . He is best known for his work with pianist Danilo Perez, saxophonist Steve Wilson, David Sanchez, and pianist Edward Simon. He has also toured and recorded with the Mingus Big Band, saxophonist Chris Potter, guitarist Charlie Hunter, and Chick Corea's...
, and percussionist
Pernell SaturninoPernell Saturnino is a 2007 Grammy-nominated percussionist. He is continuing a prominent musical legacy established by his distinguished family in the exotic Caribbean island of Curacao. His grandmother, granduncle and grandaunt, were among those who originated and developed the island's indigenous...
.
As leader
- 'The Departure' (1994)
- 'Sketches of Dreams' (1994)
- 'I Miss you John' (1995) Mike Longo
Michael Josef "Mike" Longo is a jazz pianist, composer, and author. He is most known for his work with Dizzy Gillespie.-Background:...
tribute album to Dizzy GillespieJohn Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer, and composer.Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
with Cecil BridgewaterCecil Bridgewater is an American hard bop jazz trumpeter.Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron Bridgewater formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, and in the 1970s he was married to Dee Dee Bridgewater...
, Frank WessFrank Wess is an American jazz musician, who has played saxophone and flute.-Biography:...
, and James MoodyJames Moody may refer to:* James Bradfield Moody, general manager of International Development at CSIRO* James Moody for the harmonica*James Moody , a loyalist volunteer and Nova Scotia politician from New Jersey...
- 'Street Scenes' (1996)
- 'Obsession' (1998)
- 'Melaza'(2000)
- 'Travesia' (2002)
- Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
winning 'Coral' (2004)
- 'Cultural Survival' (2008)
External links