Tenor saxophonist David Sanchez was born in Puerto Rico in 1968. Attracted by the rhythms of the Afro-Caribbean musical traditions, he began playing the conga at eight years old, listening to groups like Irakere, local danza and other traditional forms, as well as Classical music. At the age of twelve he began his formal music studies at San Juan's prestigious Escuela Libre de Música, focusing on saxophones, flute and clarinet. His early interest in jazz was fueled by recordings of such saxophone giants as Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane and Charlie Parker.

Moving to the U.S. in 1988 to study at Rutgers University in New Jersey, he began to gig with such noted Latin jazz musicians as pianist Eddie Palmieri and saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera. In 1991, he was invited to join Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra. In recent years, he's appeared as a guest on albums by bassist Charlie Haden (Nocturne) and trombonist Steve Turre (TNT), among many others. He's also invested his talents in a wide range of Latin and jazz settings, from performing with the late Tito Puente's all-star group to a series of recent highly experimental club dates with pianist Palmieri in a duo format.

Today, Sánchez's sextet is one of the most innovative working groups in jazz. Significantly, he brought fellow Puerto Rican Miguel Zenón into the group, creating a rare two saxophone frontline. "I knew the first time I heard him that he had something special - particularly his hearing," Sánchez says of the young altoist. "He's very sensitive to whatever is going on around him. Now, I had another voice, and it turned out to be really great, because he was already following the vibe that other young guys from Latin countries - Ed Simon, Danilo Pérez and thers of my generation - just like we'd followed the guys before us."

His latest recording "Coral" - Columbia records, presented enormous challenges for Sánchez, Franzetti and the members of the sextet, but the project has already spawned benefits that will enrich the saxophonist's future development. "I know this project is going to influence me in many ways," Sánchez reflects. "Obsesión was recorded just with woodwinds and a string quartet. This recording is the first time I've ever recorded the more obscure work of these composers with a large orchestra. I know it's going to take me somewhere else. The result of these months of getting the project ready, listening to different styles of music, and learning about all of these composers has already influenced the way I hear music. I have learned an incredible amount of stuff - I don't have words to explain what I've learned doing it. Now, I hear music in a different way."

DAVID SANCHEZ TOUR DATES:
• 09/21-26/04 CHICAGO, IL JOE SEGAL'S JAZZ SHOWCASE
• 09/28-30/04 NEW YORK, NY THE BLUE NOTE - NEW YORK
• 10/01/04- 10/02/04 PITTSBURGH, PA HEINZ HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, THEATRE
• 10/05-10/04 LOS ANGELES, CA JAZZ BAKERY
• 10/12-13/04 SEATTLE, WA JAZZ ALLEY
• 10/14-17/04 OAKLAND, CA YOSHI'S
• 10/18/04 SANTA CRUZ, CA KUUMBWA JAZZ CENTER
• 10/20-21/04 BLOOMINGTON, IN INDIANA UNIVERSITY