Reynaldo “Rey” Sanchez is associate dean for strategic initiatives and innovation at the Frost School of Music. He is a guitarist, musical scholar, producer, and songwriter. Born in Havana, Cuba, Sanchez left at the age of 5 and grew up in the Midwest. That’s where he honed his guitar-playing skills listening to rock, blues, and Americana and favored artists like Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton.
Sanchez’ parents always required Spanish to be spoken at home and often played Cuban and other Latin music. They worked hard to maintain their culture at home for Sanchez and his sisters. After graduating from what is now the Frost School, Sanchez served as musical director and guitarist for Puerto Rican singer, Chayanne, and other Latin artists. Sanchez spent more than 20 years touring through South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Spain, delving deeply into his background and connecting with Hispanic music and culture in significant ways.
Today, Sanchez directs the Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music (CAM) Program, the Frost School’s renowned songwriting artist program.
Five years ago, Sanchez started a Latin singer-songwriters ensemble at the Frost School called “Café con Leche,” which attracts students with Hispanic backgrounds, as well as others interested in exploring original Latin music. He said that as Latin music continues to grow in popularity—like the recent astronomic rise of Mexican singer Peso Pluma—students’ interest in creating and playing that music will increase, too.
“It’s so much fun to introduce students to these genres,” he said. “One of my students grew up in Minneapolis, but her family is from Panama. So, this ensemble has really helped her connect with her roots.”
While growing up, Sanchez said he may not have fully appreciated his bicultural heritage; but later on, he was glad that he could navigate both languages and cultures. It provided many professional opportunities, allowing him to play and record with numerous Latin artists.
“If musicians can cut across styles, as I was able to do, they can work in many different and interesting situations,” he said.
Still, Sanchez noted, when talking about Hispanic Heritage month, it’s important to never stereotype a certain background.
“Hispanic culture is not one dimensional,” he said. “One must understand the mosaic that is Hispanic culture: deep, rich, and varied. To say it’s diverse is almost an understatement. It continues to evolve in significant ways, and the contributions of Hispanic culture and music to the world have been astonishing.”
