I’ve done many interviews with Carlos Santana over the decades, and consider the one you are about to hear the crown jewel. It took place in the main room of the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, on the afternoon of October 28, 1986. Moments after I arrived, Carlos came bounding into the room, a big smile on his face. He stopped to do a quick roll on a conga drum and then lit a couple of incense sticks. He sat down cross-legged on a carpeted platform, surrounded by his guitar and drums, and immediately began the conversation.
Throughout this 70-minute interview, Carlos was energetic, effervescent, and full of insight. He talked about the importance of tone and spirituality. He explained what goes into creating an instantly recognizable style. He offered sage advice on how musicians can express more emotion in their playing and delved into his techniques for soloing, creating sustain, and applying vibrato. He talked about Eric Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Bola Sete, and other musical inspirations, and gave thoughtful suggestions to parents with children who want to learn to play guitar. And, since this interview was originally done for Guitar Player magazine, there’s a wealth of information about guitars, amps, and effects.
A few days before our meeting, Carlos had sent me a cassette of “Blues for Salvador,” an instrumental he’d just recorded in honor of his son Salvador. This comes up early in our conversation.
Here’s a sample for free subscribers: Carlos Santana Trailer
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