Antonio Sánchez
Bio
Born in Mexico City, four-time GRAMMY Award-winner Antonio Sánchez began playing the drums at age five and commenced performing professionally in his early teens in Mexico’s rock, jazz and Latin scenes.
He pursued a degree in classical piano at the National Conservatory in Mexico and in 1993 enrolled in Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Jazz Studies.
Since moving to New York City in 1999, Sánchez has become among the most sought-after drummers on the international jazz scene. Following 21 years and nine albums as one of the most revered collaborators of guitarist/composer Pat Metheny, he has also recorded and performed with, among others, Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Michael Brecker and Charlie Haden.
In 2014 Sánchez’s popularity soared when he scored Alejandro Inarritu’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) which won four Academy Awards — including the Oscar for Best Picture — and for which Sánchez was also a Golden Globe nominee.
Sánchez currently has close to a dozen recordings as a leader and solo artist. Recent projects include Three Times Three with Brad Mehldau, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Matt Brewer, John Patitucci and Christian McBride; Bad Hombre, a sociopolitical journey through electronica and percussion; Channels of Energy, featuring the WDR Big Band with arrangements of Sánchez’s compositions by Vince Mendoza; Lines in the Sand, Sánchez’s protest against social injustice and bigotry as well as a tribute to every immigrant’s journey; and most recently, SHIFT (BadHombre Vol. II), where Sánchez plays virtually every instrument on an epic album featuring Trent Reznor, Dave Mathews, Kimbra, Ana Tijoux, Meshell Ndegeocello and more.
The recipient of numerous awards, Sánchez has on three occasions been named Modern Drummer’s “Jazz Drummer of the Year”.
