Dimas Sanchez, born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, is a distinguished musician, educator, and producer specializing in Afro Puerto Rican music, Afro Cuban, Jazz, Blues, Latin, and Brazilian music. He is the co-author of the book “Afro Puerto Rican Rhythms” with Jesus Cepeda, and is a collaborator in “San Mateo de Cangrejos: Cultura, Resistencia y Comunidad”. He has played with
As the leader of the Afro Latin Jazz Project, he has made significant contributions to the promotion and preservation of Afro Caribbean music traditions.
Music Production
Dimas Sanchez has produced several notable recordings, including Opus Mundi, Opus Mundi 2, Fusion Beat, and Afro Antillano.
Workshops and Master Classes
Dimas Sanchez has conducted numerous workshops and master classes on Latin percussion and Afro Caribbean rhythms at prestigious institutions and festivals, including: Latin Percussion Workshop at Timucua Arts Center in Orlando with Marty Morell; Contemporary Drums and Percussion Summer Camp, University of Central Florida (for two years); Bomba and Jazz workshop at Punto Fijo, Performing Arts Centre, San Juan, Puerto Rico (July, 2017); Concert and Master Class for Al Downing Tampa Jazz Association (2018); Afro Puerto Rican Percussion Master Class, Tokyo, Japan (2019); Master Class on African music influences, Valencia College (2021); Master Class and Afro Puerto Rican Rhythms book presentation, Guantanamo, Cuba (June 2023); •
Afro Puerto Rican Rhythms book presentation and Master Class, Orlando, Florida (March 3, 2023); Afro Puerto Rican rhythms workshop at the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory, Havana, Cuba (Sept 26-28, 2023); Bomba workshop, Berklee School of Music (Oct 2023); Master Class at the "Encuentro de Bateristas Afro Caribeños in San Juan , PR (September 2024); Latin Master Class and Concert, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater (Sept 14, 2024); Afro Puerto Rican Jazz Workshop and Concert, Taller La Goyco, Santurce, Puerto Rico (Nov 23, 2024); Plena rhythms workshop, Taller La Goyco, Santurce, Puerto Rico (Nov 21, 2024); Bomba Rhythms workshop, St. Cloud High School (May 28, 2024); Master Class on Bomba and New Orleans music, New Orleans (March 14, 2024); Afro Cuban and Afro Puerto Rican workshop sponsored by Alianza for Progress, Orlando (Feb 8, 2025); Latin Percussion workshop, Stetson School of Music (February 2025);
Festival Performances
Dimas Sanchez has performed at numerous international festivals, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with other musicians among them: Festival Mundo Latino, Paris; MasterCard Jazz Festival, Puerto Rico (with David Sanchez); West Palm Beach Sun Fest; Guadelupe Festag (1986); Folkloric Festival, Palma de Mallorca (1992); Toros y Salsa Festival, Dax, France (2007); Jacksonville Jazz Festival (with David Sanchez); Taste of 4th Ave, Birmingham, Alabama (with David Sanchez); Sarasota Jazz Festival (with Chuchito Valdes); San Francisco Black and White Ball; Orlando Latin Jazz Festival: M&M with Marty and Michiko Morell
Festivals Played with His Group
Pensacola Jazz Festival; Tallahassee Jazz and Blues Festival; Ventana al Jazz Orlando (2012, 2013, 2014); Timucua Arts Center World Music Festival (2021, 2022); Orlando Latin Jazz Festival: Wilbert Sostre Lecture & Dimas Sánchez Afro-Latin Trio;
Dimas Sanchez continues to work in the world of Afro Caribbean and Latin jazz, fostering cultural preservation through performance, education, and artistic collaboration.