Pablo Sanhueza Salsa Orchestra

Pablo Sanhueza is “Kansas City’s Heart & Soul of Latin Music” and is the region’s premier Salsa & Latin Jazz percussionist and bandleader.  Originally from Santiago, Chile, Pablo has dedicated his distinguished career to the music of the Latin American experience, working with three generations of musicians from Europe, Africa, Latin America, the American Southwest, Midwest, and Kansas City’s Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District since 1996.

In 2018, Sanhueza co-founded the Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra & Latin Jazz Institute where he offers the only bi-lingual jazz education in the region. As a community artist, Pablo has been an influential force bringing together the diversity of Kansas City to his stage.    Sanhueza has studied with Jesus Alfonso, Sandy Perez, (Muñequitos de matanzas), and has shared the stage with Poncho Sanchez, David Valentin, Titos Sompa, and touring Europe appeared at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Red Sea Jazz Festival in Holland and Champs Elysees Paris, France with Bobby Watson. Sanhueza is a master artist for the Missouri Traditional Arts program and was the featured jazz presenter honoring Kansas City’s jazz heritage at the Missouri Bi-Centennial Celebrations in 2021, and has served as Musical Director for Tito Puente Jr. Sanhueza’s Orchestra has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to support a commission and collaboration with NEA Jazz Master, pianist, composer, bandleader Maestro Eddie Palmieri. On April 23, 2022, Sanhueza was a featured artist at the Charles Mingus Centennial Jazz Festival in Nogales, Arizona.