Riffs: Andy Pizzo, trombonist, the Andy Pizzo Project

“Poncho Sanchez, conguero and Latin jazz recording artist, is one of my favorite musicians. He is the consummate professional, and his bands are always extremely talented. Whether he is performing jazz standards with a Latin twist, funk tunes, or his own originals and arrangements, I am always captivated by what his band is able to do and the sound and show they deliver to the audience. Having opened up for his band twice in the past few years, I’ve had the chance to meet him and jam with his band. One of my biggest memories from meeting him was the time he came up to me after he heard me on stage at a club with some of his band members in Brownsville, Texas, and told me, “Man, you can swing!”