KIKI SANCHEZ

Biography

Luis Enrique “Kiki” Sanchez is a Peruvian producer, composer, arranger, educator, and pianist whose distinctive sound blends soulful jazz with tropical and Afro-Peruvian fusion. Born and raised in Lima, Peru, he studied piano with Coco Macedo and Edermi Chavez and began performing professionally at age 11. He later developed into a versatile musician while playing with his father’s band, Orquesta Majestic, performing at corporate venues throughout Lima.

Sanchez eventually relocated to Miami, Florida, where he had the opportunity to study Jazz Piano with Mike Gerber, Mike Orta, and Jim Gasior; Classical Piano with Dr. Cassandria Hanna, Diana Molinari, and Leonid Treer; Jazz Arranging and Orchestration with Dr. Tim Walters; Contemporary Classical Composition and Orchestration with Dr. Stuart Glazer; and Music Production with Michael Zager. While collaborating with numerous jazz and Latin jazz artists and continuing to expand his craft, he pursued higher education at Florida Atlantic University, earning a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies and a Master’s degree in Music Composition.

His recording career includes two acclaimed Latin jazz albums: Dreams (Diola Entertainment, 2007) and Two Worlds, featuring Grammy Award winner Susana Baca. Driven by a vision to connect with diverse audiences, Sánchez has released projects across multiple genres, including the Kiki Sanchez Salsa Project and In a Quiet and Healing Mood—a music meditation album he considers especially meaningful for its healing intent. He also released “Too Many Notes,” the lead single from the Kiki Sanchez Jazz Big Band Project.

Kiki has contributed to several Grammy-nominated projects, including “Blown Away” by Frankie Marcus featuring Arturo Sandoval (Universal Music), where he programmed keyboards and played piano. He also arranged, programmed, and recorded piano for Frankie Marcus's La Onda Latina and Clouds, which was nominated for Best Traditional Tropical Album. Additionally, he composed, arranged, and recorded piano for Edwin Bonilla’s Back to Basics, including the track “Descarga Para El Bailador.” Sanchez has collaborated with Grammy-winning producer Glen Kolotkin on numerous projects and is a voting member of the Recording Academy.

As an educator, Sanchez released the instructional DVD The Real Latin Piano and Introduction to Afro-Peruvian Rhythms, as well as The Real Latin Piano Book and The Contemporary Music Harmony Book. He frequently presents clinics and workshops both in the U.S. and internationally.

Sanchez remains highly active as a performing artist and music director. He performed at the inauguration of Larry Rosen’s “Jazz Roots” at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, and has since appeared at prestigious festivals and venues worldwide, including Montreux, the SFJAZZ Center, Instituto Cervantes (New York), and Centro Cultural Kirchner (Buenos Aires). Additionally, he has served as the music director for numerous South Florida musical theater productions and the Noches Tropicales jazz series at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium.