Bobby Sanabria

Bobby Sanabria is a master drummer, percussionist, and timbalero in the Afro-Cuban tradition. Drawing on all of the cultural roots of the African Diaspora in North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he has become one of the foremost educators and advocates for Afro-Cuban and Global music. Raised in the "Fort Apache" section of the Burroughs of the Bronx (New York City), he grew up listening to Puerto Rican, Afro-Cuban, Soul, R&B, Funk, etc. Later inspired by Tito Puente, he attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1975 to 1979 earning a Bachelor's degree in Music. In addition to his pursuits as a performer, Sanabria is considered one of the foremost scholars of "la tradition" and was honored in 1983 with a National Endowment of the Arts grant as a Jazz performer and educator. While not unique among Latin musicians who acknowledge and celebrate the West African musical roots of Latin American music, he is arguably one of the most vocal regarding the appropriate respe