5-22-08
Article and interview
by Bobby Ramirez

Feel the Jazzy Afro-Peruvian Groove of Musician Kiki Sanchez

Peru is a beautiful country located as part of the continent of South America neighboring Ecuador and Colombia, Brazil to the East, Bolivia to the SouthEast, Chile to the South, and the Pacific Ocean to the West.

Visitors enjoy many wondrous sites that include Amazon rain forests, mountains, artistic landscapes: all encapsulated within a rich history that expands over 10,000 years.

With such a long history, Peru has undoubtable developed deep artistic values that define the richness of its unique culture.

One of the most recent developments in Peru has been the arrival of Jazz music. In the capable hands of Afro-Peruvian Jazz musicians like drummer Alex Acuna, Susana Baca, Gabriel Alegria, Jose Cespedes, Richie Zellon, and others, Jazz music has begun to develop roots in Peru.

Blending distinctly authentic Afro-Peruvian rhythms of Andean and Creole origin with indigenous instruments combined with the musical language of Jazz music has produced a unique and vibrant sound that has not only enriched Jazz; but, Afro-Peruvian Jazz may be the next new musical frontier waiting to be explored.

Among the new generation of young Afro-Peruvian Jazz musicians that are emerging on the national Jazz scene is pianist Kiki Sanchez. Born in Lima Peru, Sanchez began playing piano at age 11. Later he moved to Miami, Florida where he continued studying piano as well as cultivating a deep love for American Jazz.

His musical journey can now be heard on his debut CD entitled "Dreams." By today's standards, "Dreams" is enveloped in a smooth Latin Jazz format with a perfect balance of Afro-Peruvian rhythm and Jazz harmonies.

Although Sanchez is a young player, his musical interpretation is resounding, leaving the listener with admiration and much anticipation for greater things to come from a musician of such high caliber.

Recently, Kiki Sanchez has produced an instructional DVD called "The Real Latin Piano and the introduction to Afro-Peruvian Rhythms" that is also very much recommended. In it you'll find essential musical knowledge that accentuates the building blocks of Latin music, as well as offering a fresh introspective view on various Afro-Peruvian rhythms as applied to Jazz.

With all these great musical things happening in Kiki's life, it is no doubt that greater things are still to come for this young inspiring Jazz musician. It will be fascinating to watch Kiki's musical growth and bless the world with his music. More about Kiki at: www.kikisanchez.com

Interview:

Tell me of how you got interested in becoming a musician? Kiki: My father is a Trumpet player, but he is no longer playing the trumpet. However, he is still very active working with his band. When I was 6 years old, my father decided to put his band together called, Orchestra Majestic, and that is how I became interested in music. I remember my father's band had rehearsal every Tuesday and I loved to sit next to the piano player during the whole rehearsal period.

A couple years later I started popular piano lessons with Coco Macedo, a well known musician in Peru. Later I took classical piano, theory and sight singing lessons with Edermi Chavez, who is one of the greatest professors in the Music Conservatory of Peru. At the age of 11 I had the opportunity to play professionally with a local band in Lima called, La Fragua, which was lead by Carlos Orozco, who is also my godfather. He had a performance with his band in the city of Ica, which is just south from Lima.

His piano player canceled at the last minute at Friday 4pm and the gig was at 10pm. However, the travel distance from Lima to Ica is 5 hours and Orozco was in big trouble. And this became my opportunity to play a part in this gig and I had a wonderful time. Fortunately, I kept that gig for a while and that is how I became interested in music and also how I started in it.

Who were some of your early musical inspirations? Kiki: My father is one of major inspirations because he always supports and understands my career. Also, out of all the family members, I am the only musician and because of that I constantly got special privilege from him.3)

Explain some details as to how you became attracted to Jazz music? Kiki: When I was 12 years old, I saw a video of a Peruvian band called Peru Jazz and I was very impressed. Additionally, I remember on channel 7 in Peru there was a program called, Tiempo de Jazz (Jazz Times), and on that program I saw a Bill Evans video. That is when I fell in love with this art form. Subsequently, when I moved to Miami I started to play with many different Latin bands and it was a wonderful experience.

However, one day I went to the Cactus Cantina at South Beach, where a jam session was held every Tuesday night. I could not get into the place because I was a minor thus I had to stay out and watch the performances through one of the windows. In that place I saw the most wonderful musicians I have ever seen. I remember one night the leader of the house band, Pepe Aparicio, approached me and asked, "hey kid what you doing here? You have been here at the window watching the band for the last three Tuesdays. What's up with you?î

So I introduced myself to him and told him that I was a piano player. He asked me if I wanted to play and after an emphatic, yes, he asked me to follow him inside. Then five minutes later I was playing, Day of Wine and Roses. That night was an inspiration to me and that is when I decided to be devoted to this music style called, jazz.

Can you offer a brief historical perspective as to the development of Jazz in Peru? Kiki: Jazz has been in Peru for many years. I remember long time ago there were television programs dedicated to promoting Jazz. Subsequently, now Jazz has grown in Peru dramatically. For example, The ICPNA Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano and the prestigious Peruvian musician, Joselito Valverde, have created the festival, ìJazz in Limaî.

Specifically, it is a jazz festival whose purpose is to promote the diffusion of this particular musical genre in Peru. Moreover, there is another festival called, Jazz with Peruvian Flavor, organized by the great pianist, Jose Cespedes, and the wonderful singer, Pilar de la Hoz. In particular, that festival focuses more on Afro, Andean and Creole Peruvian Jazz. In addition, there are many Jazz clubs where Jazz musicians can work and expose their talents. I personally think that in the next ten years Peru is going to be one of the most important places for Jazz in Latin America. I am very proud of my fellow Peruvians because of their support and dedication to this art form.

I would say that a musician's musical life's journey is a continuous evolutionary work-in-progress. That said, at this musical stage of your life, how would you describe your style of playing music? Kiki: Definably, it is endless. For instance, I am going back into my classical Piano to take my technique skills to the next level. Nonetheless, even though I have studied Jazz improvisation theory and techniques, I consider that my musical style is pure and honest because when I am on the stage or in the studio I always play from what is in my heart.

It is obvious that the piano is a multi-dimensional instrument, not only providing harmonic colors; but, also an integral part of a Jazz rhythm section. If you could pick anyone in the world (currently living or passed) to be part of your rhythm section (bass, drums, maybe congas/percussion, etc.), what players would you pick as part of your all-time super band? Kiki: I would love to have Jack DeJohnette on drums & Gary Peacock on bass. It would be a dream come true.

What was your musical concept for the creation of your new CD "Dreams?" Kiki: The idea of Dreams is to propose a new, fresh and digestible sound, bringing to the table new rhythms and sounds. My desires for this album are to expose to the world all the amazing rhythms from Peru that contains Afro, Andean and Creole origins, which are combined with Jazz.

For instance, the songs ìFestejo Jamî and ìZambamalatoî are Afro-Peruvian while "El Condor Pasa" is an Andean Peruvian song. Furthermore, "El Puente de los Suspiros" and "El Barco Ciego" are Creole Peruvian, whereas "Lando Timba" and "For Kimberly" are the fusion of Peruvian festejo with Cuban timba. Moreover, "killer Joe" is the fusion of Cha cha and Festejo and ìDreamsî is a smooth Latin Jazz.

The main concept is to let to the world know that Peru has a lot to offer and that through our musical instruments, musicians, composers and rhythms we can make so many fantastic contributions to this art form.

In no particular order, name your most favorite top-10 all time greatest Jazz recordings? Kiki: Bill Evans (Waltz for Debby, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, Conversations with Myself); Keith Jarret (Bye Bye Blackbird, My Foolish Heart, Live at The Blue Note); Oscar Peterson (Oscar Peterson plays the George Gershwin songbook, Night Train, Blues Etude); Miles Davis (Kind of Blue)

On a typical day when you are performing a concert, just before you hit the stage, what is on your mind that is most important to you? Kiki: Before a concert the most important thing is to have my mind, body and soul in harmony that allows happiness, excitement and passion to come out through the music.

After you've finished a performance, what is the most important thing that you hope the audience takes away from your performance? Kiki: I would love for them to take the positive energy projected through music. I believe that music can be good medicine and therapeutic for the soul and spirit. Also, I would like them to learn more about Peruvian music and culture through my performance.
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From your perspective as a Hispanic musician in this time and place in the new millennium, how do you see the Jazz scene in general? Kiki: It seems very exciting because this is the perfect time for multi-cultural influences to combine, merge and create new sounds. It is the perfect time to present Jazz to new places and audiences, where jazz might have been unpopular and presented with a different prospective. In my case, I am dedicated to present a mixture of Jazz with Andean, Afro and Creole Peruvian music with their respective instruments.

As a musician, what are some of your most important goals that you hope to achieve in the next 20 years? Kiki: Sincerely, my main goal is to be a source of inspiration for the new generations to come and to open the doors of opportunity for Peruvian and South Florida musicians. There is so much undiscovered talent in both places and I would love to share what I have learned through my experiences and education with young inspiring musicians.

What is your best advice to young inspiring musicians that want to pursue a career in music? Kiki: I would tell them to have faith, be consistent in every area of their life and have a positive attitude, which is the beginning of victory. As a result, these attributes are the most powerful tools in this business and if you are positive only positive things can happen to you.

Furthermore, if you put into practice in your music career the following principals such as, practicing, performing, and composing respectfully, the consequences will result in absolutely successful and positive outcomes. Additionally, because music is such a competitive industry, I would recommend to them to focus on the business aspects of music.

Finally, I would tell them to always keep their dreams alive and to remember that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

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