Birth name Robert Sanabria Name Bobby Sanabria | Website BobbySanabria.com Instruments Drums
Percussion | |
 | ||
Born June 2, 1957 ( 1957-06-02 ) Origin South Bronx, New York City, US Genres Afro-Cuban jazz - Latin jazz - jazz Role Drummer · bobbysanabria.com Movies Larry Harlow's Latin Legends of Fania Albums Quarteto Ache!, Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!! Nominations Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album Similar People Michael Philip Mossman, David Sanchez, Kenny Drew - Jr | ||
Education Berklee College of Music | ||
Performance spotlight bobby sanabria
Bobby Sanabria is an American drummer and percussionist of Puerto Rican descent who specializes in Latin jazz. Sanabria teaches Latin jazz in New York City at the Manhattan School of Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Three of Sanabria's albums have been nominated for a Grammy Award: Kenya Revisited Live!!! (2009), Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!! (2011) and Multiverse (2012).
Contents
- Performance spotlight bobby sanabria
- Interview with bobby sanabria heritage ensemble
- Biography
- As leader
- As sideman
- References
Interview with bobby sanabria heritage ensemble
Biography
Sanabria was born at St. Francis Hospital in the South Bronx, where he grew up. He is of Puerto Rican ancestry: his father, José, comes from the barrio of Ensenada in Guanica, Puerto Rico, while his mother, Juanita, comes from the barrio of Jacanas, in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico.
He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1975 to 1979, graduating in 1979. He received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1983 and was a featured performer on the Mambo Kings film soundtrack. He also appeared on The Bill Cosby Show with the Mario Bauzá Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra.
Sanabria has performed over the years in many New York City public schools as well as all over the world teaching Latin jazz. He has written articles for Modern Drummer magazine, DRUM!, Traps, Highlights In Percussion, and has written liner notes for many albums. He has composed music for the documentary films From Mambo To Hip Hop - A South Bronx Tale (2007) and Some Girls (2017). He currently teaches Afro-Cuban Jazz at the Manhattan School of Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. With the MSM Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra he has recorded two Grammy-nominated albums: Kenya Revisited Live!!! (2009) and Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!! (2011).
He has performed with Mario Bauzá, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría, Chico Freeman, Paquito D'Rivera, Candido, Ray Barretto, Chico O'Farrill, Francisco Aguabella, Henry Threadgill, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Daniel Ponce, Patato, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, the WDR Big Band, Michael Gibbs, Charles McPherson, Phil Wilson, Randy Brecker, Charles Tolliver and Marco Rizo.
Sanabria's album Multiverse was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best Latin Jazz Recording and best Instrumental Arrangement - Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite for Ellington. He was featured in the BBC documentary West Side Stories - The Making Of a Classic.