SAN FRANCISCO (Carlos
Santana Official Website/press release) - This week,
Carlos Santana and the
Santana Band launch their Summer 2004 European tour with a Friday, July 2 concert in Amneville, France.
Santana will continue on across the continent throughout July, closing the summer sweep with an arena show on the 25th in Schwaebisch, Germany.
Other countries on the routing are Denmark, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, and Switzerland. Two dates are at Switzerland's world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival (July 13 & 15), the latter as part of the multi-artist gala "Hymns: Songs For Love And Peace."
Montreux is also the first stop on the itinerary presenting the Salvador Santana Band - lead by Carlos and Deborah Santana's son Salvador - as the opening act. Salvador has occasionally sat in on keyboards with Santana, and three June 2004 concerts at San Francisco's historic Warfield Theatre marked the first time his own group appeared on the bill supporting his father's legendary band. During one show, Carlos joined Salvador and company on a song, and while nothing is officially planned, intergenerational Santana jams are likely to occur during the European tour.
A Musical Arts Program major at Cal Arts in Valencia, CA, Salvador's college mate Gene Coye is the band's drummer, and the balance of the players - Rene del Fierro (guitar), Emerson Cardenas (bass), Sam Totah (MC/vocals), and Eric Mendez (congas) - are high school friends from San Francisco's School of the Arts. Formed earlier this year, their dynamic sound is a largely instrumental, genre-defying fusion of jazz, hip-hop, Latin, pop, rock and more, and features both originals and revolving favorites by diverse composers including John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles.
Salvador explains, "I've listened to so many different kinds of music over the years, and learned to accept and relate to each one; it's all sound and there's beauty in everything. I love how Bob Marley described his music - 'When it hits you, you don't feel any pain.' I hope our music will affect people inwardly, and touch them in places that will help them stop worrying, for the moment, about the things going on in their life. Music that stops time, that's the kind of music I'd like to produce. It's a dream come true to have the opportunity to be part of this tour, and we're truly thankful."
Following the tour's conclusion, Carlos Santana will be honored as the 2004 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on August 30 at their 5th annual gala event at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The Mexican-born Santana has always remained deeply connected to his Latin heritage, both musically and with his philanthropic work. This prestigious award from LARAS - the body that bestows the Latin GRAMMYs, of which Carlos has won three - recognizes him as, "an extraordinary human being, musician, and activist who has made a global impact on music and culture." A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Recording Academy's MusiCares Foundation.
Also this summer, four new Santana tracks will be featured on the Carlos Santana-produced Food For Thought, available exclusively at Baja Fresh Mexican Grill restaurants nationwide.
The health-conscious chain's first-ever in-store CD project, the 10-song disc also includes a song by Salvador and artist picks from Etta James, Buddy Guy, Indigenous, and Cesaria Evora. Proceeds from sales of the CD will benefit The Milagro Foundation, established in 1998 by Carlos and Deborah Santana to support underserved children and youth in the areas of health, education and the arts. To date, Milagro has granted over $2 million to charities and non-profit agencies worldwide.
Currently, Carlos Santana is working on his third album for Arista Records, and the 38th of his career. The disc, executive produced by industry legend Clive Davis, follows up 2002's acclaimed No 1 album Shaman, and the 1999 phenomenon Supernatural, which won a record-breaking nine GRAMMYs, including Album of the Year, and Song of the Year, for the hit "Smooth." Since his explosive performance with Santana at Woodstock in 1969, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana has sold in excess of 80 million albums, and is truly a globally celebrated artist.
For more information, visit https://www.santana.com
CARLOS SANTANA SUMMER 2004 EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
July 2 - Amneville, France
July 3 - Aurich, German
July 4 - Roskilde, Denmark
July 6 - Bonn, Germany
July 7 - Frankfurt, Germany
July 9 - The Hague, Netherlands
July 10 - Bocholt, Germany
July 11 - Freiburg, Germany
July 13 & 15 - Montreux, Switzerland
July 17 - Naples, Italy (free show)
July 18 - Pistoia, Italy
July 20 - Zagreb, Croatia
July 21 - Budapest, Hungary
July 23 - Prague, Czech Republic
July 24 - Wuerzburg, Germany
July 25 - Schwaebisch, Germany
