Guillermo Azabal |
Los Angeles (USA), Jun 16 (EFE).- The musician Poncho Sánchez, precursor of Latin jazz in the US, who worked with figures such as Celia Cruz or Tito Puente, extolled the power of Caribbean rhythms ” beyond reggaeton and its commercial simplicity” in an interview with EFE before his concert at the mythical Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
“Reggaeton, and some forms of bachata, for me are fairly simple commercial music. I don’t want to discredit anyone, but it’s not something difficult to do, melodically speaking, ”added the percussionist who won two Grammy Awards and another honorary award from the Latin Recording Academy for his career.
Using the most respectful words that he was right to choose mixing English and Spanish, Pablo Sánchez, as his name says on his identity card, affirmed that he prefers “more sophisticated but equally danceable” creations, such as “salsa or Latin jazz”.
Poncho Sánchez, Mexican roots
Poncho Sánchez (Laredo, Texas, 1951) is the youngest of eleven siblings from a family with Mexican roots that got ahead running a laundromat in the Californian city of Norwalk.
There, between records by the Orquesta Aragón, by Tito Puente himself and by Cal Tjader, his interest in Cuban music in general and the chachachá or the mambo in particular arose.
“My sisters listened to Chico Sesma’s programs, the first DJ to play these rhythms in the United States. Once a month, we would go to dance at his live sessions at the Hollywood Palladium”, recalled this artist who already treasures more than 40 years of professional career.
Four decades in which his music has been applauded at renowned events such as the Newport Jazz Festival in New York or festivals of the genre that are held in states like Hawaii and countries like Japan.
jazz to the world
“When I started it was not very popular, Latin rock from figures like Carlos Santana was popular, but we managed to make it famous and take it to the whole world. That is one of the milestones that I am most proud of”, stated Poncho Sánchez during the interview.
The illusion is also evident in his voice when he mentions Celia Cruz herself, Tito Puente and Cal Tjader, figures he “always dreamed” of playing.
“I can say that I got it. I have collaborated with them and vice versa, when they attended many of my concerts as special guests. That is something that I will take with me forever,” said the musician, who looks “optimistically” at the future of Latin jazz.
Democratization of Latin jazz
Much of the international projection of the genre was attributed to “the internet and platforms like YouTube” which, according to him, have managed to democratize the access of upstarts to this type of music and have allowed them to enjoy “better health than ever”.
“It must be nuanced that Latin jazz has had streaks, but it has always had a large volume of very loyal followers. I have been able to live well, very well, in fact, with this, so it will not be so bad, ”he joked.
The chances of jazz continuing to challenge new generations and captivating other social spectrums also come from the fact that it “opens up space” for them in the general categories of Anglo-Saxon “showcases as high-profile as the Grammys”, according to Sánchez’s vision.
Some awards that in its last edition recognized the talent of the American jazz singer Samara Joy (23 years old) in the section of best new artist.
Both Joy and Kamasi Washington, “a fantastic jazz player internationally recognized for his versatility”, together with Poncho Sánchez, make up the poster for the festival that is being held this weekend at the Hollywood Bowl, an amphitheater that has seen figures ranging from Stevie Wonder or Bob Dylan to Prince.