Biography
Sanabria was born in the South Bronx in New York City on June 2, 1957, of Puerto Rican descent. He graduated from the(Mr. Sanabria) expands the possibilities, moving the sounds of bands like that of (Puente, Machito), with all the heft and intricacy and clave-based dance rhythm, into the harmonically oriented sophistication of current New York jazz players. It's New York up and down, and back and forth across the last century, from the streets to the mambo palaces to the conservatories. – Ben Ratliff, ''The New York Times''''
Discography
As leader
Denotes Grammy nomination *** *1993 - ''¡New York City Ache!'' w/ special guests Tito Puente and Paquito D'Rivera NAIRD Album of The Year 1993 *2000 - ''Afro-Cuban Dream: Live and in Clave!!!'' (Arabesque) Grammy nominated *** *2002 - ''Bobby Sanabria & ¡Quarteto Aché!'' ( Zoho Music) *2003 - ''50 Years of Mambo: A Tribute to Damaso Perez Prado'' recorded live at Town Hall, NYC (Mambo Maniacs) Latin Grammy nominated *** *2007 - ''Big Band Urban Folktales'' (Jazzheads) Grammy nominated *** *2009 - ''Kenya Revisited Live!!!'' Bobby Sanabria conducts the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra w/ special guest Candido recorded live at Borden Auditorium MSM (Jazzheads) Latin Grammy nominated *** *2011 - ''Tito Puente Masterworks Live!!!'' Bobby Sanabria conducts the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra recorded live at Borden Auditorium MSM (Jazzheads) Latin Grammy nominated *** *2012 - ''Multiverse'' Bobby Sanabria Big Band (Jazzheads) DOUBLE Grammy nominated *** *2014 - ''!Que Viva Harlem!'' Bobby Sanabria conducts the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra (Jazzheads) recorded live at Borden Auditorium MSM *2018 - '' West Side Story Reimagined'' Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band (Jazzheads) recorded live at Dizzy's, NYC Grammy nominated, Jazz Journalists Association Album of The Year *** *2023 - ''Vox Humana'' (Jazzheads) Grammy nominated, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band featuring Janis Siegel, Antoinette Montague, Jennifer Jade Ledesna recorded live at Dizzy's, NYC ***As sideman
* Mongo Santamaria, ''Mongo Magic'', 1983 * Mongo Santamaria, ''Espiritu Libre'', 1984 * Luis Perico Ortiz - ''Breaking The Rules'', 1987 * Yomo Toro - ''Gracias'', 1990 * Mario Bauzá Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, ''Tanga Suite'', 1991 * ''The Mambo Kings Soundtrack'', 1991 * Mario Bauzá Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra – ''My Time is Now'', 1992 * Paquito D'Rivera and the United Nations Orchestra, ''A Night in Englewood'', 1993 * Mario Bauzá Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, ''944 Columbus'', 1993 * Carola Grey, ''The Age Of Illusions'', 1994 * Spider Saloff, ''Sextet'', 1995 * Michael Philip Mossman, ''Spring Dance'', 1995 * Jorge Sylvester, ''Musicollage'', 1996 * Daniel Schnyder, ''Tarantula'', 1996 * Sekou Sundiata, ''The Blue Oneness of Dreams'', 1997 * Frank London, ''Debt'', 1997 * Cuba: I Am Time, 1997 * Michael Philip Mossman, ''Mama Soho'', 1998 * Ford Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival. 1998 * Charles McPherson, ''Manhattan Nocturne'', 1998 * Men with Guns (Hombres Armados) Soundtrack, 1998 * Larry Harlow, ''Larry Harlow's Latin Legends Band'', 1998 * Klaus Suonsaari - ''Something In Common'' (1998) * John Fedchock, ''On the Edge'', 1998 * William Cepeda, ''Afrorican Jazz... My Roots and Beyond'', 1998 * Mario Bauzá, ''Messidor's Finest'', 1998 * Jerome Van Rossum ''Diplomatic Immunity'', 1998 * Viento De Agua, ''De Puerto Rico Al Mundo'', 1998 * Chris Washburne & The SYOTOS Band, ''Nuyorican Nights'', 1998 * Cuba, I Am Time, Vol. 4: Cubano Jazz, 1999 * Jorge Sylvester, ''In the Ear of the Beholder'', 2000 * Ray Barretto, ''Portraits In Jazz & Clave'', 2000 * Sekou Sundiata, ''Long Story Short'', 2000 * Eugenia León, ''Acercate Mas'', 2000 * Ray Barretto & New World Spirit, ''Trancedance'', 2001 * Chris Washburne & The SYOTOS Band, ''The Other Side'' 2001 * Donato Póveda, ''Bohemio Enamorado'' 2002 * Hilary Noble, ''Noble Savage'', 2002 * Joe Chambers, ''Urban Grooves'', 2002 * David Gonzalez, ''City of Dreams'', 2002 * NewYorkestra Big Band ''Urban Soundscapes'', 2002 * John Fedchock New York Big Band, ''No Nonsense'', 2002 * Larry Harlow & His Latin Jazz Encounter, ''Live at Birdland'', 2002 * Chris Washburne & The SYTOS Band, ''Paradise In Trouble'' 2003 * John Fedchock New York Big Band, ''No Nonsense'' 2003 * Joe Chambers, ''Urban Grooves'', 2003 * Lou Caputo, ''Urban Still Life'', 2003 * Ray Barretto & New World Spirit, ''Time Was, Time Is'', 2005 * Joe Chambers, ''The Outlaw'', 2006 * Chris Washburne & The SYOTOS Band, ''The Land of Nod'', 2006 * Charles McPherson, ''Manhattan Nocturne'', 2006 * Roswell Rudd & Yomo Toro featuring Bobby Sanabria & Ascensión, '' El Espíritu Jíbaro'', 2007 * Cándido, ''Hands of Fire'', 2007 * John Fedchock New York Big Band, ''Up And Running'', 2007 * Arturo O'Farrill & Friends Play The Music of Eugene Marlow, ''A Wonderful Discovery'', 2007 * Inza Bama, ''House Of Bamba'', 2008 * Sooz, ''I Wanna Iguana'', 2010 * Gabriele Tranchina, ''A Song of Love's Color'', 2010 * Eugene Marlow, ''Celebrations: The Heritage Ensemble Interprets Festive Melodies from the Hebraic Songbook'', 2010 * Eugene Marlow, ''A Fresh Take'', 2011 * Eugene Marlow, ''Hitz & Pizz: A Rhythm Extravaganza'', 2011 * Susan Goodman Jackson, ''Live Out Loud, '' 2012 * Chris Washburne & The SYOTOS Band, ''Land of Nod'', 2013 * Ben Lapidus, ''Ochosi Blues'', 2014 * Eugene Marlow, ''Mosaica'', 2014 * Art Lillard's Heavenly Big Band, ''Certain Relationships'', 2015 * Eugene Marlow, ''Changes'', 2015 * Max Pollack, ''Rumba Tap'', 2015 * John Fedchock New York Big Band, ''Like It Is'', 2015 * Eli Fountain, Percussion Discussion, ''Masterpiece'', 2015 * Pucci Amanda Jhones, ''Love Jones'', 2015 * In Their Own Voice, Vol. V: Eugene Marlow & The Heritage Ensemble feat. Jennifer Jade Ledesna, Amelie Cherubin, Shira Shira Lissek * Eugene Marlow, ''A Night So Silent Night'', 2016 * Eugene Marlow, ''Obrigado Brasil'', 2016 * Eugene Marlow, ''Blue In Green, Original Compositions by Eugene Marlow inspired by The Jazz Poems of Grace Schulman'', 2019 * ''The Afro-Caribbean Artistry of Bobby Sanabria & Matthew Gonzalez'', 2019 * David Child's, ''Child's Play'', 2020 * Rie Akagi, ''La Flauta Magica'', 2020 * Gabriela Anders, ''Los Dukes, A Latina Tribute To Duke Ellington'', 2021 * Mary LaRose, ''Out There'', 2021 * Eugenie Jones, ''Players'', 2022 * The Manhattan Transfer, ''50'', 2022 * Ray Blue, ''#PEOPLE'', 2023 * David Lopatao, ''Short Stories'', 2024 * Joe Gonzalez & The San Juan Experience, ''Life is Grand!'', 2025Films
* The Palladium Where Mambo Was King - associate producer, on screen personality (Kaufman Films, BRAVO 2002) * From Mambo To Hip Hop - A South Bronx Tale - associate producer, on screen personality, composer of soundtrack (Citylore, PBS 2006) * Latin Music U.S.A. - assistant producer, on screen personality (PBS 2009) * We Like It That - The Story of Latin Boogaloo - on screen personality (Citylore, 2015) * Let's Get The Rhythm - on screen personality (Citylore, 2016) * Some Girls - composer of soundtrack (Cepeda Films, 2017) * La Madrina - The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla - composer of soundtrack (Cepeda Films, 2020)Endorsements
TAMA Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Latin Percussion Inc., Remo Drumheads, Vic Firth SticksReferences
External links