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. 

Number 50 August 19, 2010

Tibetan Buddhism has a concept of direct transmission.  If you studied under a master, you have his wisdom directly transmitted to you.  If you studied under one of his disciples, you have an indirect transmission, which still can be just as valuable.  The American Dzogchen teacher, Surya Das , studied with the great Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.  I've had the privilege of sitting with Surya.  It has often amazed me how close the direct transmissions can be in music.  For example, I've had the privilege of playing with Ray Charles, (one night as a sub in England in the early 70's), jamming with Van Morrison and Jean Luc Ponty, and playing with Chico Hamilton.  Also with the organists Brother Jack McDuff and Jimmy McCracklin, who between them have hired just about every important guiarist you can imagine.  But what amazes me even more is how close the indirect, or just one step removed, transmisssions can be.  My dear friend Benny Rietveld, who produced my recording Come to Me, has played with Santana for twenty years, and before that with Miles Davis!  (There is a very short list of whom Benny has not played with).  Kai Eckhardt, who plays with me on The Search and Reincarnation, has played with John McLaughlin and Wayne Shorter (both of whom played famously with Miles).  And my dear Eddie Duran, who I call my root guru, played with Charlie Parker!