Antonio Sánchez (drummer)

Antonio Sánchez (born November 1, 1971) is a Mexican jazz drummer and composer. He is best known for his work with the Pat Metheny Group, as well as his solo projects and film scores, most notably the score for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's film Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

Sánchez began playing drums at age five and pursued formal musical education, earning a degree in classical piano from the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City. He later moved to the United States to study jazz performance at Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory.

He joined the Pat Metheny Group in 2000 and toured and recorded with them extensively, winning three Grammy Awards. His drumming style is characterized by its technical proficiency, rhythmic complexity, and musical sensitivity. He is known for his use of odd time signatures, polyrhythms, and dynamic variations.

Beyond his work with Metheny, Sánchez has released several solo albums, including Migration (2007), New Life (2013), Three Times Three (2015), Bad Hombre (2017), and Lines in the Sand (2018), which showcase his compositional skills and improvisational abilities. Bad Hombre and Lines in the Sand are particularly notable for their politically charged content, addressing issues related to immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border.

His score for Birdman, consisting entirely of drum solos, was critically acclaimed and won a Golden Globe Award. The innovative use of percussion in the film was widely praised for its contribution to the film's tense and often surreal atmosphere.

Sánchez continues to perform and record internationally, and is regarded as one of the leading jazz drummers of his generation. He is also actively involved in music education, conducting workshops and masterclasses around the world.