Marta Sanchez, a pianist and composer, was born in Madrid, Spain. After completing her classical training at Conservatory, she started her academic training in jazz music and contemporary music at School of Music Populart. She was awarded a grant by A.I.E. Spanish Association of Musicians for being the top student. Zafari Project was her first band, and she was chosen by INJUVE, the Spanish government agency for youth, as one of the best on the Spanish music scene. They will be touring around Spain to perform in various Jazz Festivals. The first price at Debajazz international jazz contest was won by this band. This is not the only contest Sanchez won. She also took home the first prize at Jazzargia International Jazz Contest, Javier Moreno Trio, and the first prize at San Martin de la Vega Jazz Contest, Natalia Calderon Quartet. AECID (government agency to international development cooperation) has selected her three times to represent Spain at jazz festivals across South America, Central America, and Europe. She did this with her own band twice (2009 and 2012) and with Natalia Calderon Quartet (2009). She was awarded the “A.I.E en Ruta Touring Grant” by the Spanish Association of Musicians in 2010. She was granted a Fulbright Scholarship in 2011, which enabled her to continue her education at New York University (M.M.). She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in 2011 which allowed her to continue her studies at New York University (M.M.). It led to an international tour of Costa Rica where her group represented NYU in the prestigious Costa Rica Jazz Festival. She is currently a bandleader and works with her Quintet, a New York-based saxophonist, Jerome Sabbagh, and Roman Filiu, her Spanish trio D’free QI. Both have released critically acclaimed albums on Errabal Records. She also started a new project with Camila Meza as her singer, and is involved in other music projects in the United States and internationally. She has toured the United States, Europe and South America performing at prominent venues and festivals like the North Sea Jazz Festival, Eurojazz, Athens, Eurojazz, Jazz Festival of Vitoria Gasteiz and Madrid Jazz Festival. Popular newspapers like “All About Jazz” praised Sanchez, stating that Sanchez should be included among those Spanish jazz musicians who have “maalent, feeling, and knowledge of the music”. from www.martasanchezmusic.com