Alt. Latino guest dj antonio sanchez: jazz drummer, musical activist

The jazz drummer Antonio Sanchez is much more than that job title suggests. With over 15 years playing for guitarist Pat Metheny and a handful of albums under his own name, Sanchez certainly

fits the role of jazz cat. Listen closely to his playing, though, and you'll be hearing the expansion of percussion's role in music; a sonic, and melodic, experience that defies

categories. This talent is maybe best expressed within the work Sanchez put into the soundtrack for Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu's 2014 film _Birdman,_ which he composed

entirely of drum improvisations that exquisitely mirror the intense emotions of the film. His new record, _Bad Hombre_, is an exploration of the interplay between his drum set and

electronics and, as the title suggests, a personal statement on the current U.S. president's controversial statements during the campaign about Mexico and Mexicans. How does Sanchez

take on what he perceived as national and personal slights with instrumental music? Listen to this week's show for the fascinating answer and hear what it took to become a jazz fan and

musician in the land of mariachi and Rock en Español. Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 1 of 6  — bad hombre / Courtesy of the Artist 2 of 6  — bad hombre /

Courtesy of the Artist 3 of 6  — bad hombre / Courtesy of the Artist 4 of 6  — bad hombre / Courtesy of the Artist 5 of 6  — moving pictures by rush / Courtesy of the Artist 6 of 6  — sgt

pepper / Courtesy of the Artist