Drumming Legend, Birdman Composer, Pat Metheny Group, 4 GRAMMYs, Emmy
Antonio Sánchez is one of the most complete musicians of his generation — a four-time GRAMMY winner, Emmy Award winner, and a drummer and composer whose work spans jazz, film scoring, and the boundaries of what it means to be a percussionist. His nearly two decades as the drummer for the Pat Metheny Group helped define the sound of contemporary jazz. Then came Birdman.
The score to Alejandro González Iñárritu's Oscar-winning film Birdman — performed entirely by Sánchez on drums — became one of the most celebrated and unconventional film scores in recent memory. In this conversation with Elmo, Antonio tells the full story of that project, from the first call from Iñárritu to the night the film won Best Picture at the Oscars.
They also talk about his years with Pat Metheny, the rigor and artistry required to play at that level night after night, his approach to practicing and developing his voice on the instrument, and his Migration band — a project that shows just how far a drummer can take their musical vision when given the freedom to lead.
"With Birdman, I wasn't scoring a film. I was creating a character — the drummer was as much a part of the story as any actor."
What it was like to be the drummer for one of jazz's most celebrated ensembles for nearly two decades, the musical demands of Pat Metheny's music, and how those years shaped Antonio's approach to sound and groove.
The full story of composing and performing the score to Alejandro González Iñárritu's Oscar-winning Birdman — how the concept came together, the challenge of performing it live, and what the film's success meant for his career.
What it felt like to watch Birdman win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, how that moment changed his profile and opportunities, and the projects that followed from that breakthrough.
Antonio's own Migration ensemble — the creative vision behind it, what it means to him to lead his own artistic project, and how it allows him to express ideas that aren't possible in a sideman context.
Antonio's approach to practicing, developing a personal sound on the drums, and the specific exercises and mental frameworks he uses to keep growing as a musician even at the highest level.
What he has learned about writing music for picture, the collaborative process with filmmakers, and how his background as a jazz musician informs the way he approaches composition for any context.
Antonio tells the complete story of how the Birdman score came together — from Iñárritu's initial call to the creative conversations that led to the idea of a drums-only score performed by a single musician.
The Pat Metheny stories: what it was really like to play in that group, what Metheny demanded from his musicians, and the specific ways those years shaped Antonio's rhythmic vocabulary and musical taste.
An honest conversation about the discipline required to maintain a career at the highest level — the daily practice, the constant refinement, and the mental approach that allows Antonio to keep raising his own bar.
The night Birdman won Best Picture — Antonio describes where he was, who he was with, and what that moment felt like after years of work on a project most people told him was too unconventional to succeed.
Antonio's vision for Migration and what the band represents creatively — the freedom to pursue ideas that don't fit anywhere else, and why having your own band is essential for any serious musician.
A masterclass on the relationship between jazz improvisation and film scoring — how the skills of a jazz musician translate directly into the demands of composing for picture, and what film composers could learn from jazz.
Available on all major platforms.