Poncho Sanchez and Band Opens Muckenthaler 2018 Jazz Festival

By John Roos

Musicians often refer to several influences as playing pivotal roles in their own career growth. For longtime Latin jazz percussionist Poncho Sanchez, essentially one man is responsible for shaping his future. That man is the late Cal Tjader.

Tjader is widely-considered to be the greatest Anglo musician in Latin jazz. From the 1950’s until his death on May 5, 1982, the bandleader/vibraphonist mixed mainstream bop and Latin jazz styles into something uniquely his own. Among the many revered artists who performed alongside Tjader were Arturo Sandoval, Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Armando Peraza, Lalo Schifrin, Kenny Burrell and Donald Byrd. Tjader also was a major influence on Carlos Santana and the creation of Latin rock.

Back in 1975, Sanchez got a huge break early in his career when he became a sideman in Tjader’s band. For the the ensuing seven years until Tjader’s death from a heart attack while touring in the Philippines, Sanchez was a sponge as his mentor taught him not only what it meant to be a professional musician, bandleader and businessman, but how to stay focused on your goals while so many others fall prey to the temptations of money, alcohol and drugs.

“It was like a dream come true,” said Sanchez while reminiscing during a recent phone interview. “It was just a beautiful thing to meet your hero and find out that he was a sweetheart of a nice guy, too. I was nervous at first but grew into the job and eventually would rehearse the band as Cal got older and a bit more tired. I was there with him in Manilla when he passed away, and even though he had his first heart attack about a year earlier, it was still devastating and came as such a shock.”

“He taught me how to carry yourself as a professional,” he continued, “and what it means to be a bandleader with the responsibility for the livelihood of others. In the long run, that’s probably meant more to my career lasting this long than the success of all the records and touring.”

Tjader’s band launched a 43-year career for Sanchez as a renowned bandleader and percussionist in his own right. But looking back, Sanchez springs from very humble Mexican-American roots.

Born in Laredo, Texas in 1951, Sanchez moved to Norwalk at age 4 with his parents (Mexican immigrants) and 10 siblings. California embraced a burgeoning Latin music scene and over the years, Sanchez discovered and absorbed mambo, son, guaguanco and cha-cha-cha from listening to his sisters’ records. He also grew up hearing Afro-Cuban jazz, bebop, classic soul music, doo-wop, and black gospel music, some heard while listening to DJ Chico Sesma on AM radio station KOWL in Santa Monica.

These eclectic sounds and styles feed into the musical persona of Sanchez, who has recorded over 25 albums for the Concord Picante label. All offer plenty to relish but particularly memorable is Chano y Dizzy!, his 2011 collaboration with trumpeter Terence Blanchard as they pay tribute to the landmark pairing of jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo, the two men who according to Sanchez “invented Latin Jazz in the 1940’s.”

"Chano Pozo was a spectacular talent,” said Sanchez, who now lives in Whittier with his wife Stella. “He's considered the godfather of conga drummers, and he's someone I have so much respect for. And what can you say about Dizzy? He was an iconic figure in American jazz. These guys were the first musicians to bring the essence of Latin music to American jazz, and that has paved the way for some of the greatest music of the last 50 or 60 years."

Continually evolving as a musician, Sanchez just completed the final mix of a tribute album to jazz great John Coltrane to be titled “Trane’s Delight.” Among the offerings will be “Giant Steps” reintroduced as a fast rumba; “Blue Trane” as a cha-cha-cha; and a new arrangement of the more obscure “Liberia” from the 1960 album titled “Coltrane’s Sound.”

When I asked Sanchez what essential qualities make Latin Jazz so intoxicating, I could feel the excitement bubbling over through the phone lines.

“Oh man, Latin Jazz has the sophistication of jazz standards and the energy and feeling of Latin music,” he declared. “This is timeless music that you can dance to, that moves your heart and soul. What could be better than that?”

That enthusiasm was tempered just a bit, however, when our discussion turned to how many of the legendary Latin-Cuban jazz percussionists have passed away, including Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Patato Valdes, Manny Oquendo, and Francisco Aguabella. So, the obvious question is whether or not Sanchez feels a responsibility to keep this spirited music alive and well?

“I think I do,” he said without hesitation. “I would have never dreamed this would be the case but the good Lord does what he does and I feel pretty good about what he’s blessed me with. I am getting tired now and want to slow down a bit. But this music is in my blood and as long as I’m breathing, I’m going to give you all of the authentic Latin jazz, soul and salsa music you can handle.”

*Poncho Sanchez and Band open the 2018 Jazz Festival Thursday, the Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave, Fullerton; 714-738-6595. 7:30 p.m. www.themuck.org.