Brandon Sanders, has always cut his own unique path. Born in Kansas City but spending his formative years in Compton, Brandon grew up in a musical household. He also honed his love of Jazz at the Kansas City jazz club, Casablanca, run by his grandmother.

But first, college called. After playing basketball for a junior college near Los Angeles, he enrolled at the behest of his grandmother—actually, she did the enrolling for him—at the University of Kansas. While studying communications there, Brandon became a walk-on practice player for the top-seeded team in the country where quickly gained a reputation as a dogged defender.

After receiving his undergraduate degree in communications, and Master’s in social work at Kansas, Brandon dedicated himself to that field. But eventually his passion for music caught up with him. So, at age 25, he taught himself how to play drums, until a Kansas City drummer named Todd Strait, who used to play with Marian McPartland, took Brandon under his wing. And with years of intense practice, Brandon attained such a high level of proficiency that he was accepted at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he formed friendships and musical associations with future jazz greats including Warren Wolf, trumpeter Darren Barrett, and drummer Kendrick Scott. He started playing in various bands at Boston clubs including Wally’s Jazz Cafe and the Wonder Bar, gaining experience that eventually led him New York.

Now living in Brooklyn, Brandon has a third album titled “Lasting Impression,” on the heels of two critically acclaimed releases “Brandon Sanders: The Tables Will Turn,” and his first titled, “Compton’s Finest.”

In this episode, I talk with Brandon about his remarkable career trajectory, and the forming of collaborations with a stellar list of jazz all-stars to create a path to his musical success.