As jazz-great Nina Simone once said, "jazz is not just music, it is a way of life, it is a way of being, a way of thinking".

Written into the quest for human dignity, democracy and civil rights, the story of jazz is celebrated worldwide on 30 April, with the support of the UN culture agency, UNESCO.

Mexican jazz composer and drummer Antonio Sánchez, defines jazz simply as “freedom”, highlighting its inclusive power to bring “different elements together, transforming it into something greater.”

The five-time Grammy award winner, who scored Alejandro Iñárritu's Academy Award-winning film, Birdman, is participating in the main commemorations for International Jazz Day, held this year in Australia.

Mr. Sánchez spoke to UN News’s Antonio Lafuente.

Music Credits: Travesia, by Antonio Sánchez.