11 CARLOS SANTANA

Santana says he relies on his ears for a collaborative project like 2017’s Powerofpeace

“I could hear what I wanted to accomplish with this project in my head even before we got in the studio. I stay really close to obeying my inner instructions, and that is to complement, complement and complement. And the only way to do that is to always listen.

“I learned a word from Magic Johnson,” Santana continues, referring to his friend, the basketball legend. “He said, ‘When I came to the Lakers, I deferred to Kareem Abdul-jabbar.’ I said, ‘Oh, that’s a really, really high word.’ Defer. It means that you have learned honour and respect for those who came here before you. So I learned to defer to the vocalist, to the other guitarist, and to the drums. Then, when it’s my turn, I just get in there with all I’ve got. But I love deferring, too, because that space means I’m not afraid to bring my spirit into a situation.”