So Smooth…

Santana. A 10 piece band with 4 sets of drums – I have never seen that before ! multiple singers, bucket loads of brass, multiple key boards and of course guitars.

1st set featured a strong song line up, 2nd track in Jin -go-lo ba played with massive drumming attack, hands, karate chops and elbows along with traditional sticks – a tremendous co-ordinated musical cacophony of delights, Evil Ways added heavy keyboards and of course Carlos guitar work seething with spice on Black Magic Women and the fantastic She’s Not There. More samba followed after the break with Carlos happily attired in a white hat and chewing, messaged a eulogy to others that did not survive the hippy era like Hendrix. He made a call to everyone., “We are all beams of light, like stars” he said, we need to validate ourselves every day and need to live peaceful in this world.

Now 77 he abides in Hawaii with his wife Cindy Blackman (age 65 she looked 20 years younger) She was extraordinary and not only had to be super skilled but super fit. Cindy played an amazing set but especially the encore drum solo, a massive 8 minute full on tour de force – the only likeable comparision I have is Zep’s Moby Dick.

It all ended with Smooth which was really most appropriate because the performance all round was, super super slick.