September 26, 2011

My dear friend Benny Rietveld gave me tickets to see him play with Santana this last weekend at Shoreline.  With Cindy Blackman AND Dennis Chambers on drums (not to mention Karl Perazzo on timbales - Raul Rekow unfortunately had a family illness to attend to) I realized that this is simply the best rhythm section in the world.  Benny has evolved into the informal music director, cuing the band from time to time.  It must be quite a thrill to play with such amazing musicians.  In all the years I've seen Carlos, this was perhaps the most enjoyable.  Benny produced my recording Come to Me, and invited many of his Santana band mates to play on it.