His story is one for the ages and like all the greats, you just need his last name and the vision of his greatness immediately comes to mind. From his landing at Woodstock – which seems like a lifetime ago – to his “Supernatural” mega-album, to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, some artists define the term “larger-than-life.” He was born Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán, but we just know him as SANTANA and you can see the legend in person tomorrow night at Yaamava’ Theater.
So what makes him a living legend? When you compare him to the greats – B.B. King, Miles Davis, John Coltrane – you know you are in exclusive company. A magician on the guitar, Carlos Santana credits his success to the work ethic he saw in his father, José Santana (a father of seven!), who was a mariachi violinist.
About his father, Santana once said, “My first memory of him was watching him playing music and watching what it did to people – he was the darling of our town. I wanted that – that charisma that he had.” As child, the family lived in a small called Autlán de Navarro. There, young Carlos learned his craft by watching his father, and doing what all greats do: practice, practice, practice, then more practice on guitar. By the time he was 10 years old, he was playing gigs in Tijuana.
It was only a matter of time before Carlos Santana would be known to the world by virtue of his 1969 Woodstock performance that blew everyone away. So much so, he got to know another guitar hero, Jimi Hendrix.
From that point on, Santana was destined for greatness and the hit parade pays homage to his greatness with era-defining songs. “Oye Como Va,” “Black Magic Woman,” “Evil Ways,” “Winning,” “Samba Pa Ti,” “Everybody’s Everything,” “Soul Sacrifice,” “Smooth,” “Hope You’re Feeling Better,” “Maria, Maria,” and “Primavera” are only a few of the numerous hits his fans line up to hear at shows.
For Santana, these shows are a family affair as his wife, Cindy Blackman “Santana” has the best seat in the house for every show. She sits behind the drum kit.
Inasmuch as Santana made a splash in his early days with the Latin community, over his career, Carlos Santana has earned the respect and admiration of critics, fellow musicians and fans worldwide.
Despite a recent episode where Santana had to call a show early in Detroit when he collapsed, he is back to feeling 100%.
Yaamava’ Theatre
Highland, California
February 17th, 2023
There are some artists that are considered “the greats,” some are considered “legends,” and a few are considered “legends among legends.” Even a smaller amount can be captioned as “living legends,” the kind of artist that is part of history.
For Carlos Santana, he made Jose very proud as he has become the barometer for music history.
Therefore, we get to experience the majesty that only a living legend can bring to the stage. I highly recommend you catch Santana live anytime he comes to your neck of the woods. In the meantime, history is landing at Yaamava’!
I highly recommend to catch Santana live anytime he comes to your neck of the woods,. In the meantime, history is landing at Yaamava’!
