On October 30, 1951, Ildefonso Sanchez was born. Known as Poncho Sanchez, he is an American conguero, Latin jazz band leader and salsa singer.

In 2000, he and his ensemble won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for their work on the Concord Picante album Latin Soul.

His career includes performances and recordings with artists such as Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaría, Hugh Masekela, Clare Fischer and Tower of Power, making him a bridge between jazz and Latin music in recent decades.