PONCHO SANCHEZ

For more than three decades as both a leader and a sideman, 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 American and South American sources. His influences are numerous, but among the more prominent figures that inform his music are two of the primary architects of Latin jazz – conga drummer and composer Chano Pozo and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. 

Sanchez came to fame playing alongside Cal Tjader, and has firmly established his place in the music world as a band-leader and master performer.  His band just celebrated their  30th year with Concord Records releasing “Live in Hollywood” a 59 minute tour de force showcasing the breadth of music that this band performs.  Ballads, up tempo Latin numbers, as well as groovin’ soul and R&B all play a big part of the show when Poncho Sanchez comes to town.