Episode 88: Antonio Sánchez. Antonio is one of the most celebrated drummers and composers of our time. From shaping the sound of the Pat Metheny Group, to scoring Alejandro Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning film Birdman, to composing for Apple TV+’s The Studio, Antonio has pushed the boundaries of what a drummer can be. With 4 GRAMMY wins, a 2025 Emmy nomination, and collaborations spanning jazz, film, and world music, his artistry continues to inspire musicians and audiences worldwide.

This is a 2.5 hour deep dive interview with Antonio that covers the full scope of his career. We talk about his journey from Mexico City to Berklee and how he got onto the world stage, the story behind creating the all-drum score for Birdman, and what it was like to spend decades working side by side with Pat Metheny.

We dig into the lessons he’s carried forward, his approach to film scoring, and how he brings storytelling into his drumming. We also get into his newest projects like Bad Hombre 1 and 2, BEATrio with Béla Fleck and Edmar Castañeda, Elipsis with Michael League and Pedrito Martínez, and his collabs with Dave Matthews, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Silvana Estrada, Joe Lovano, John Patitucci, Christian McBride, John Scofield and more, as he continues to expand his musical universe.

Hope you enjoy my conversation with the incredible human, Antonio Sanchez.

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