Birdman composer and jazz drummer, Antonio Sánchez plays The Englert
By Lily Goodman
Born in Mexico City, acclaimed composer and jazz drummer Antonio Sánchez said he began playing the drums at only five-years-old.
“My mother really liked rock music, and by listening to it, I started getting into drumming by default.”
The grandson of Mexican actor Ignacio López Tarso, Sánchez was already drumming professionally by the time he was a teenager. After high school, he moved to the states which is where he said he began to get more into jazz. Sánchez then received his degree in classical piano from the National Conservatory in 1993 and moved to Boston where he studied at Berklee College of Music and graduated Magna Cum Laude in Jazz Studies.
He then obtained a coveted scholarship for a Masters in Jazz Improvisation at Boston’s New England Conservatory. In 1999, Sanchez moved to New York City, where his already impressive resume for jazz composition and performing became all the more impressive.
Having already released three solo albums by 2014, Sánchez went on to compose the music for the award-winning film, Birdman. Released on October 14, 2014, the soundtrack racked up a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score, a BAFTA nomination, and a Grammy. Including a significant amount of classical music, Sánchez also incorporated his own jazz composition into the soundtrack, creating a dynamic sound that fit well with the pacing and innovative cinematography of the movie.
“We were trying to figure out what would be the best dramatic effect to go along with the film,” Sánchez said of working with Birdman director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu. “We were really trying to showcase everything that the drums can do. I think a lot of people think of the drums as a very monotone instrument, but I think the movie really does showcase the wide range of the drums.”
And this Wednesday, the Iowa City community will get their chance to hear first-hand all that the drums can do when The Englert Theater will host Sánchez as he performs his award-winning score live along with a screening of Birdman. Explaining the importance of improvisation in jazz music, Sánchez explained that every performance of Birdman Live will be unique in some way.
“When I play [Birdman Live], I try to stay faithful to the dramatic effect in the movie, but I also try to stay faithful to the fact that [the musical score] was all improvised to begin with. Improvisation for me is just being really in tune with your surroundings. If I focus on what I’m doing and how my mind is feeling, then every performance will be different.”
But being the highly-accomplished and busy guy that he is, Sánchez spoke of how crucial it is for a traveling musician to do things when they are actually at home to help keep them grounded when they’re not. “I just like being home and doing homey stuff like watching TV or doing dishes,” said Sánchez.
“I love being home with my wife. She’s a wonderful singer, and I love listening to her sing. I just like to do things at home that nurture me while I’m traveling and performing.” And for Sanchez, that’s obviously paying off.
Birdman Live
