Antonio Sanchez’ 2017 album, “Bad Hombre”
Art is a reflection of life so I took a look at what had been happening in the world, realized that a surprising level of anger, frustration and awareness had been growing in me due to the political situation in the United States. The rise of Donald Trump’s candidacy and his xenophobic and racist rhetoric against Mexicans and other minorities had been in the news for a while and it troubled and angered me deeply because I’m originally Mexican and there was no other way to take that rhetoric but as an in insult and a threat. My migratory status in the US at the time was still as a green card holder and a green card is a privilege, not a right. I started pursuing the path to citizenship immediately since the future looked so unsettling. I also really wanted to be able to vote in the November election. [I’m a naturalized American citizen now and I did vote in the November 2016 election for the first time]. That process and experience starting dictating what kind of story this album was going to be about. Taking all these feelings and putting them into the creative process is always very cathartic and playing drums has always been a very meditative and healing ritual for me, so I wanted to develop this project starting with the instrument that has been with me since I can remember. The drum set.
