Grammy-Winning Saxophonist Leads 2021-2022 SFJAZZ Season
By Shelah Moody
Photo Courtesy of SFJAZZ
On Oct. 28, the SFJAZZ Collective performed original compositions highlighting social justice, addressing political upheaval sparked by the police murders of George Floyd and Breona Taylor in 2020 and the right-wing-inspired raid on the United States Capitol complex in Washington, DC in 2021.
Acclaimed San Francisco musician Martin Luther McCoy opened the performance, singing lead vocals on James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Negro National Anthem. (One person in the small, fully vaccinated audience at Miner Auditorium stood up during the song, which many in the “woke” community believe should replace the “Star-Spangled Banner” as America’s national anthem).
The Collective segued into introspective and vibrant pieces composed by members: “8’46: A Tribute to George Floyd” (Edward Simon, piano), “Joya” and “The Sower,” (Matt Brewer, bass), “Can You See/Mutuality” (Chris Potter, saxophone), “All There Inside,” (Gretchen Parlato, vocals), “Unity,” (Warren Wolf, vibraphone) and a cover of Marvin Gaye’s anti-war anthem, “What’s going On,” masterfully arranged by Trinidadian trumpet player Etienne Charles.
Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanchez, a longtime member of SFJAZZ Collective, delivered his vibrant instrumental, “Ay Bendito, “ on tenor.
Prior to his performance with SFJAZZ, I met with Sanchez via Zoom to speak with him about the non-profit art organization’s 2021-2022 season, the state of live music in the age of COVID-19, and his global influences.
Although he was born and raised in Puerto Rico and heavily influenced by Afro-Latino roots music, percussion, in particular, Sanchez would hardly categorize himself as a Latin jazz artist. Listening to his stellar, 2019 album, “Carib,” you are transported to several countries within the African and Latin Diaspora.
“The music that I write and how I play is just a recollection of different experiences throughout my life,” said Sanchez. “Obviously, it’s going to bring in my experiences growing up in Puerto Rico, especially the roots influences. I spent 16 years in New York, 13 in Atlanta. I’ve been traveling the world constantly since I was 19.”
Sanchez, who has collaborated with music icons and influencers such as Dizzy Gillespie and Branford Marsalis, said he feels blessed to be reunited with the SFJAZZ Collective.
“The fact that we have the opportunity to come together and make music is amazing,” said Sanchez. “Finally, after this crazy pandemic, which is unreal, we are coming together after almost two years. I now see things a bit differently, I’m so appreciative of the opportunity that we have of coming together this year. Not only because we are coming together after a long time of layoffs; of not playing, but also because of our theme. This year, because of the circumstances and the adversities that most of us have faced, we decided to dedicate it to our experiences during this challenging time and to social justice. The pandemic really exposed a lot of situations that were right in our faces that were covered or consciously ignored because we were busy or moving around.”
To watch Streetwise Radio’s full interview with David Sanchez, go to:
Also, hear the music of David Sanchez here on Streetwise Radio.
