Antonio Sanchez < Music Works International

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 (Bad Hombre 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”.

Bad Hombre w/ Thana Alexa, BIGYUKI, Lex Sadler

Antonio Sanchez & Bad Hombre: Thana Alexa, Lex Sadler, BIGYUKI Photo by Jacob Blinkenstaff

In Spring 2022 Warner Bros Records released “SHIFT (Bad Hombre Vol. II)” from multi-Grammy® winner Antonio Sanchez. The much-anticipated recording features Sanchez collaborating with artists ranging from Trent Reznor to Lila Downs…from Meshell Ndegeocello to Dave Mathews and more. In short, SHIFT is a collection of songs from a spectrum of international singer-songwriters Sanchez greatly admires — artists who entrusted Sanchez with their songs and vocal performances for him to reimagine and “shift” through his genre-bending talents as a composer, multi-instrumentalist, mixer, and producer. Among the most influential and versatile drummers in the world, Sanchez also provides the guitars, keys, background vocals, and electronic soundscapes on SHIFT.

In live performance, the shift will be rendered by Bad Hombre: vocalist Thana Alexa, Bigyuki on keys, Lex Sadler on bass, and Sanchez on drums. In short, it contains the makings of one of those wildly original shows not to be missed.

Japanese Keyboardist Bigyuki has worked with Bilal Oliver, Talib Kweli and Robert Glasper and attended Berklee College of Music.

Lex Sadler is the music director, programmer, and bassist for Abir and has performed with Arlissa, Nicole Bus, Jordan Bratton, Ellie Goulding, and Ella Henderson.

In 2021 alone, vocalist Thana Alexa was the winner of the UnsignedOnly Music Competition in the jazz category, the winner of the Downbeat Critic’s Poll “Rising Star Vocalist” and her debut album Ona was nominated for two Grammy® Awards.

Antonio Sanchez performs Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Live

Experience the explosive Oscar-winning film accompanied live by composer Antonio Sanchez and his Grammy® Award-winning score that provides the heartbeat of the film. The visually stunning 2015 Oscar Award-winner for Best Picture, by maverick director Alejandro Iñárritu, stars Michael Keaton as a washed-up action star trying to reinvent his career as a credible actor and director on the Broadway stage. For these special performances the film is accompanied live by renowned jazz drummer Antonio Sanchez, recreating his Grammy® Award-winning score.