DAVID SANCHEZ OPENS 5TH CARNEGIE HALL THE SHAPE OF JAZZ SERIES

On Wednesday, October 17 at 8:30 p.m. in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, saxophonist/composer David Sánchez and his sextet give the New York premiere of La Leyenda del Cañaveral. This new multi-movement work--written by Mr. Sánchez and made possible by a grant from Chamber Music America--traces the migration of African people to the Caribbean through musical folklore, jazz, and the music of Tanzania and the Baca forest people of East Cameroon. This performance opens Carnegie Hall's 2007-2008 The Shape of Jazz series, which is currently in its fifth season. The Shape of Jazz series is presented by Carnegie Hall in partnership with Absolutely Live Entertainment, LLC.

Set to a poem written by David Sánchez's sister, Margarita, La Leyenda del Cañaveral includes spoken word and music compositional styles that weave together Afro-Caribbean, Jazz, and East African elements. The poem refers to the travels of African people from Africa to the Caribbean, with its central theme being the history and anecdotes of people who worked on sugar cane plantations. The inclusion of spoken word reflects their rich and colorful heritage and oral traditions. La Leyenda del Cañaveral received its premiere on March 24, 2007, at the prestigious and historical Centro de Bellas Artes in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Latin Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer David Sánchez has forged a critically acclaimed career incorporating the bomba and plena rhythms of Puerto Rico as well as the musical traditions of Cuba and Brazil into his jazz compositions and interpretations. Born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, David Sánchez began playing percussion and drums at the age of eight before migrating to tenor saxophone. While a student at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Sánchez took advantage of his close proximity to New York City and quickly became a member of its jazz scene, performing with the likes of Eddie Palmieri and Claudio Roditi, who brought Sánchez to the attention of Dizzy Gillespie.

Whether with Gillespie, Palmieri, and other jazz greats--including Kenny Barron, Roy Haynes, and Charlie Haden--or on his own, Sánchez tours and records extensively, bringing his mix of mainstream jazz with Afro-Latin influences to audiences around the world. His debut album for Columbia Records, The Departure, garnered a great deal of praise as did his subsequent recordings, Sketches of Dreams, Street Scenes, and Travesía. Sánchez followed these recordings with Obsesión and Melaza, both of which received Grammy Award nominations. His most recent recording, Coral, earned the saxophonist his fourth Grammy Award nomination and a Latin Grammy Award for "Best Instrumental Album." Sánchez recently signed to Concord Records and plans to record a new album this fall.

Now in its fifth season, The Shape of Jazz series featuring artists from a wide spectrum of styles. In addition to David Sánchez, this season's lineup includes The Bad Plus (December 12), the SFJAZZ Collective (March 5), and Manhattan Trinity (April 2).

THE DAVID SÁNCHEZ GROUP consists of David Sánchez, Saxophone; Lage Lund, Guitar;
Robert Rodriguez, Piano; Pernell Saturnino, Percussion; Henry Cole, Drums; and Hans Glawischnig, Bass.