{"id":1383,"date":"2010-07-18T14:13:10","date_gmt":"2010-07-18T18:13:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/?p=1383"},"modified":"2021-07-26T16:19:15","modified_gmt":"2021-07-26T20:19:15","slug":"poncho-sanchez-hard-working-latin-jazz-artist-with-love-for-salsa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinomusiccafe.com\/2010\/07\/18\/poncho-sanchez-hard-working-latin-jazz-artist-with-love-for-salsa\/","title":{"rendered":"Poncho Sanchez: Hard Working Latin Jazz Artist with Love for Salsa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Poncho Sanchez is one of the hardest working Latin Jazz artists. He’s produced 24 CDs in 28 years and is constantly touring with his 9-piece band.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0had a chance to talk to Poncho about his background, his recent and upcoming projects, and his impressions on the current climate of the music business.<\/p>\n

A Natural Latin Jazz Artist Not Tainted by Education<\/h3>\n

Poncho Sanchez is a hard working Latin jazz artist both in the studio as well as playing on tour. Poncho credits his prolific output of 24 albums to the great arrangers that have worked with him. His taste for different music styles gives him a musical well from where he can select and adapt certain songs to a Latin rhythm.<\/p>\n

As Poncho explained, “not all tunes lend themselves to the rhythm of the clave, so we take our time to find the ones that feel good and fit the rhythm of the clave”<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Despite not having learnt to read or write music, Poncho Sanchez learned how to play the guitar and taught himself the flute, drums, and timbales before settling with the congas. He also has written more than 30 tunes by collaborating with members of his band. “I’ve been very lucky to have good arrangers around me, starting with the excellent arranger and piano player Claire Fisher (from Cal Tjader’s band), Mark Levine, David Torres (musical director of the band), and Francisco Torres (the band trombonist). \u00a0I don’t know how to read or write music but I have the music in my head.”<\/em><\/p>\n

A Love for Salsa Latin Music<\/h3>\n

In our conversation, Poncho mentioned he would consider recording a full Salsa Latin music album. He has recorded several salsa songs before. There is a compilation “Baila Mi Gente” of Poncho’s salsa music. He had Salsa singer Andy Monta\u00f1ez as a guest singer in one of his albums, and has had other singers with his band, including Oscar D’Leon. Poncho said that he pursued Puerto Rican salsa singer Cheo Feliciano to appear as guest in one of his CDs but the recording dates didn’t match to Cheo’s schedule.<\/p>\n

Psychedelic Blues, Willie Bobo, Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo<\/h3>\n

\""<yoastmark\"Poncho described how “Psychedelic Blues” started with the idea of a tribute to Willie Bobo. “‘Psychedelic Blues’\u00a0is a tune that Willie Bobo recorded many years ago, so I gave it to Francisco Torres, my trombone player, and he did a really good arrangement on that”.<\/em><\/p>\n

He decided to add a guitar to his music for the CD, as Willie Bobo used a guitar in his albums. From there, Poncho selected several Willie Bobo tunes for a medley, and added other songs form Latin Jazz artists like Art Blakey. From the medley, “Baby I Don’t Know”<\/em> is my personal favorite.<\/p>\n

A future musical project Poncho is considering is around the music of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo. His idea revolves around creating a video of Dizzy and Chano playing their music, followed by the band playing some of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo music, and perhaps inviting an artist like trumpeter Terrance Blanchard to play the part of Dizzy. They may perform it live at a Performance Arts Center in order to possibly recorded it in CD\/DVD.<\/p>\n

I think this would be an outstanding project that will provide Latin Jazz lovers a treat of the music of these two giants of our music. It would not only be a tribute to them, but serves as a way to educate us on the legacy Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo have on our Latin Jazz music.<\/p>\n

Here’s a short promo video on the making of “Psychedelic Blues”<\/p>\n