Santana returns to special venue in Tinley Park
Some venues stick out in musicians’ memories more than others. That is the case for drummer Cindy Blackman Santana.
After her drum solo on the Santana hit “Corazón Espinado,” guitarist Carlos Santana proposed to her onstage in July 2010 at the Tinley Park venue formerly known as First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre.
“He proposed to me in such a grand way. It’s a beautiful memory and a very heartfelt moment,” said Blackman Santana, who married him in December 2010.
Santana and Earth, Wind & Fire, which originated in Chicago, bring the Miraculous Supernatural tour to what is now known as Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on July 2. Tickets previously purchased when the tour was scheduled in 2020 and then 2021 are valid for the rescheduled 2022 date.
“That’s going to be awesome. It’s very emotionally actually,” Blackman Santana said about returning to the venue where she became engaged.
“When I saw what kind of heart Carlos has, what kind of joy he wants to bring to everyone in the world, it just made me melt so I totally fell for him. I don’t know if you fall in love or if you rise to love.”
The tour highlights Santana’s 1999 album “Supernatural” and the Woodstock era as well as newer tracks such as songs from “Blessings and Miracles,” which was released on Oct. 15 and includes Carlos Santana’s son, Salvador Santana (vocals and keyboards), and daughter Stella Santana (lead vocals).
The album also features Asdru Sierra, Chris Stapleton, Rob Thomas and American Authors, Steve Winwood, Ally Brooke, Diane Warren and G-Eazy, Corey Glover, Kirk Hammett and Marc Osegueda, Avi Snow and MVCA, and Chick Corea and Gayle Moran Corea.
“People are going to get a lot of excitement. They’re going to get a lot of dancing and moments where they’re singing along, where there’s a lot of primal tribal feeling so that makes you move,” said Blackman Santana, who lives in Las Vegas and Hawaii.
“Right now I’d say my favorite song is probably ‘Toussaint L’Overture.’ That song is so triumphant so I love playing that song. ‘There are several not just one. Life is for Living’ is very much fun. I love playing ‘Smooth.’ ”
Santana is known for songs such as “Black Magic Woman,” “Evil Ways,” “The Game of Love” featuring Michelle Branch, “Maria Maria” featuring The Product
G&B, “Smooth” featuring Rob Thomas, and “Why Don’t You & I” featuring Alex Band or Chad Kroeger.
Fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Earth, Wind & Fire’s many singles include “After the Love Has Gone,” “Boogie Wonderland” with The Emotions from Chicago, “Got To Get You Into My Life,” “Let’s Groove,” “September,” “Shining Star” and “Sing a Song.”
“Earth, Wind & Fire are just tons of fun. I know probably 99% of their songs, if not 100%, so their songs are very singable. They have a lot of joy. They’re very danceable and their songs carry a lot of meaning,” said Blackman Santana, whose mother was born in Chicago.
“In a lot of the songs there are a lot of messages. They talk about happiness, keeping your head up to the sky. It’s just very uplifting. You feel happy when you listen to them. You just feel joyous.”
Joy is also part of Blackman Santana touring with her husband.
“I love the fact that we can do what we do best and we love to do most and do it together at a high level. I love that we don’t get in each other’s way,” she said.
“We give each other the space that we need. I love the foreplay, if you will, that we have because we respect each other and we allow each other to be each other. Then
we come together on the stage and we’re able to explore and explode. That’s just great.”
Carlos Santana may be considered a guitar god by many people but Blackman Santana, whose drumming spans jazz and rock, is a respected musician in her own right, serving as drummer in Lenny Kravitz’s band from 1992 to 2007 and also in 2014 and 2015.
In addition to her own bands, such as Another Lifetime and more recently the Cindy Blackman Group, she has toured and recorded with artists such as Angela Bofill, Buckethead, Joe Henderson, Bill Laswell, Hugh Masakela, Don Pullen, Pharoah Sanders, Josh Stone and Cassandra Wilson.
“I started playing drums when I was 7 years old. I started begging for drums when I was 3,” said Blackman Santana, whose 2020 album, “Give the Drummer Some,” features her both singing and playing drums and features Carlos
Santana on lead guitar for eight songs.
“I was just drawn to the drums. I heard drums in all the music that I was listening to and that was always what attracted me. I didn’t even know what a drum set looked like. I just knew that I loved the sound of whatever that instrument was.
“When I saw the drums, I absolutely feel in love with the way the drums were set up. It’s a very physical instrument. You have to use your whole body when you play. All of that was mind-boggling to me and all of that drew me to the drums.”
Blackman Santana said the improvisation in Santana’s sets are part of what keep the concerts fun.
“There’s always a moment or rather several moments of unpredictability and that I love because I’m a jazz musician. We know the songs that we play but we’re not scripting our solos or scripting out each moment,” she said.
“We have some really wonderful elements of surprise in the music. I love that about Carlos because his music is popular but, yet, it still has unknown elements in it. I think that’s what makes his music head and shoulders above a whole bunch of other music.”