By Cynthia Vazquez
Salvador Santana, son of Carlos Santana, will perform live at The Temple Bar on Thursday, May 10. Keyboardist and composer Salvador Santana’s music mixes hip-hop, jazz, rock, Latin and other world idioms into a uniquely individual and contemporary style. He likes to call the richly textured grooves he creates with the Salvador Santana Band, “A new blend, a sound reinvented.”
Citing mentors including Bob Marley, Thelonius Monk, McCoy Tyner, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Cobham, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Santana adds relevant lyrics and hip-hop flavor to a fusion of those masterful influences. He further singles out the Minneapolis-bred group Atmosphere as a force that’s sparked ideas for words and music. Their free-spirited, poetic hip-hop and positive vibe are elements that resonate in the Salvador Santana Band’s energetic flow.
Salvador Santana’s artistic chops are also, of course, colored by — and a continuation of — his family’s exceptional legacy. Salvador’s maternal grandfather was African-American blues pioneer, tenor and guitar legend Saunders King, his paternal grandfather is celebrated violinist and mariachi bandleader Jose Santana, and his father is rock ‘n’ roll Hall-of-Famer Carlos Santana.
The Salvador Santana Band initially came together in early 2004, and one of their first gigs was opening for Carlos and the Santana Band at San Francisco’s famed Warfield Theater. The band has gone through some changes — most recently, modern rock/soul/progressive artist Will Champlin signed on as lead vocalist and backup keyboardist. Will is the son of Bill Champlin, a member of the band Chicago, since 1981. Also new to the Salvador Santana Band is bassist Emerson Cardenas, guitarist Matt Heulitt, drummer Tony Austin, and former Ozomatli player Jose “Crunchy” Espinosa on sax, flute, percussion and vocals.
The Salvador Santana Band hits the stage at 11 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. The Temple Bar is located at 1026 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. For more information visit www.templebarlive.com.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 10, 2007. Read the original PDF.