My appreciation for Latin Jazz, especially the West Coast style, starts with and branches out from two people: Cal Tjader, vibraphonist, composer, arranger and Poncho Sanchez, master conguero, arranger, composer and vocalist.

Cal Tjader helped introduce Latin Jazz to a broader audience utilizing the compositions of old master like Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo, Charlie Parker and others restructured with Latin stylings. Poncho Sanchez with his appreciation for the old masters and his own innovations has taken it to another level. What he has done for Latin jazz, in his performances as a percussionist and bandleader is reflected in his Grammy Lifetime Achievement award.

The story of how Poncho Sanchez was picked to be in Cal Tjaders band is as fascinating as the musical collaboration between Tjader and Poncho. Sanchez played for Cal Tjader from 1975 until his death in Manila, 1982. According to Poncho, he was playing in a neighborhood R&B band at a place called the Latin American Press Club in Pico Rivera.

Between sets, an older White guy, approaches him and says “Hey man you are pretty good on congas,” thanks replied Poncho and didn’t give it another thought.

A week later the same guy comes back to hear the band and at the break he again approaches Poncho, this time he says, “Listen I’m a friend of Cal Tjader and I am going to tell him about you.” Sure and my uncle is Babe Ruth, thought Poncho to himself. He did, for some reason remember the old white guy’s name; it was “Ernie Steels”.

A couple of months later he hears that Cal Tjader is playing at a club in Redondo Beach. Poncho and his wife buy tickets, they sit down to watch the show, when out of nowhere, here comes the old white guy Ernie Steels with Cal Tjader. Ernie Steels introduces Cal to Poncho, it turns out that Ernie had been in the Navy with Cal Tjader. Cal Tjader tells Poncho that every time he comes to Los Angeles several people tell him about how great a conga player he is and would he like to sit in. When, asked Poncho? Tonight replied Cal. Halfway thru his set Cal Tjader announces that tonight I have a friend who is gonna play a little conga for us ladies and gentleman, Mr. Poncho Sanchez! He expected to do just one number, instead Cal had him do the entire show. He was so pleased with his performance that Cal told Poncho, the next time he is playing in Los Angeles, he is going to use him in his band.

Sure enough about a month later Cal Tjader called Poncho Sanchez and said “Hey man I’m going to be down in LA on New Year’s Eve at the Coconut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel opposite Carmen McCrae, I want you to play New Year’s,” of course replied Poncho. Despite being nervous in the beginning, Poncho’s performance was excellent.

Afterwards Cal tells him, we have a four day gig in San Diego at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse and I want you to play there with us, as a matter of fact I want you in the band, can you do it? Poncho was so excited when he answered yes, that he forgot to ask how much it paid. Tjader recognizing it tells him, would $300 a week be ok? Sure replied Poncho considering that he was working in foundry in Norwalk for $150.00 a week.

Their musical journey would last seven years until Cal Tjader’s death. San Diego played a big part in that relationship because Tom Ham’s Lighthouse was Poncho’s first extended gig with Cal’s band and later The Catamaran became the venue for many of their performances. They developed a large fan base in San Diego and Tijuana. Poncho recalled how he loved coming to San Diego because of all the cool places his San Diego friend the late Eddie Nicolas would take him, Cal, and the band. He remembered going to Cuatro Milpas and El Porvenir in Logan, and the Tacos Los Humadores in Tijuana and other funky places.

Poncho Sanchez has had his own band for more than 30 years and still performs all over the world, collaborating with the best performers and exploring new vistas.

In a recent San Diego performance at the Jacobs Center, he called on the greats like Chano Pozo, Machito, Dizzy, Mongo to channel their spirits through his Congas and set the place on fire, which he did, all night long, to the delight of the crowd. Guachi, Guara Maestro Poncho Sanchez.