The Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Ensemble to appear at UCSD on February 27 in Mandeville Auditorium

February 14, 1992

Contact: Ruth Baily, University Events Office, 534-4090 or Alixandra Williams, 534-3120

THE PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE TO APPEAR AT UCSD ON FEBRUARY 27

Percussionist and conga player Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Ensemble will appear at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Mandeville Auditorium at the University of California, San Diego.

Tickets for this event are $16 for general admission, $14 for seniors and $12 for students, and may be purchased at the UCSD Price Center Box Office or from TicketMaster outlets.

Music magazine has said of Sanchez: "As a percussionist, he's L.A.'s answer to Mongo Santamaria; as a band leader, Poncho Sanchez's crisp arrangements, Cubop flair and informed jazz sensibility bear comparison to Machito's."

Sanchez grew up listening to recordings by Santamaria, Machito, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Clare Fischer and the man who was to become his mentor, Cal Tjader. By the time he was 17 years old, he was performing with bands in Los Angeles. In 1975, he was invited to perform in Tjader's band.

For seven years, until Tjader's death in 1982, Sanchez performed with the Tjader group, touring and recording numerous albums, including the Grammy Award-winning "La Onda Va Bien," on Concord Picante label. Sanchez also has performed and recorded with other jazz artists, including Carmen McRae, Clare Fischer and Woody Herman.

In 1982, Sanchez recorded his first album on the Concord Picante label, titled "Sonando." His second release, titled "Bien Sabroso!" was nominated for a Grammy Award. He has since recorded many albums, the latest being "Chile Con Soul."

Sanchez has performed in jazz festivals at Concord, Montreux and Monterey, and in major clubs including the Village Gate in New York and at Kimball's and Yoshi's in San Francisco.

This event is brought to San Diego by the UCSD University Events Office, 534-4090.

(February 14, 1992)