Cindy Blackman Santana Journey, a powerhouse drummer known for her work with rock icons like Lenny Kravitz and Carlos Santana, recently took the stage at The Carlyle Room in Northwest D.C. for an electrifying performance.
Cindy Blackman Santana rocks The Carlyle Room in Northwest D.C. this Friday and Saturday.
“We have quite a few originals and a few works by other people like Wayne Shorter that we’ve kind of revamped, so they sound a little different, which is great. We put a new spin on them,” Blackman Santana told WTOP. “This band is so great, everybody’s got such big ears that the music is really able to take a lot of journeys, twists and turns, so it keeps the excitement, it keeps the energy and everyone has a really great sound on their instrument.”
Background and Musical Roots: Cindy Blackman Santana Journey
Born in the small town of Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1959, Cindy grew up immersed in a diverse musical landscape that included funk, jazz, classical, and rock ‘n roll.
She honed her drumming skills at institutions like the Hartt School of Music in Hartford and the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Cindy’s early career involved performing with The Drifters, a doo-wop and R&B group, providing her stability and valuable experience.
“That was cool because it afforded me some stability, a little bit of a chance to make some cash … and just do some consistent gigs, even though it wasn’t the music that I wanted to play, it was an experience, so that was great,” she said.
Also Read: Discover Jake Lloyd Journey From Anakin Skywalker to Battling Mental Health
Lenny Kravitz Connection:
In 1993, Cindy received a cross-country call from Lenny Kravitz, who invited her to Los Angeles for an audition.
She impressed Kravitz and became his touring drummer for nearly two decades.
Cindy’s rhythmic prowess can be seen in the concert documentary “Alive from Planet Earth,” filmed live in Australia during her time with Kravitz.
“I met Lenny through a mutual friend [who] said, ‘I’ve got this friend Lenny Kravitz who’s been looking for a drummer for a year and a half.’ I said, ‘Who’s that?’ He said, ‘The guy that used to be married to Lisa Bonet.’ … I went out there and ended up auditioning; there were like 40 drummers. I played second, and after I played, Lenny called off the auditions like, ‘No, I choose Cindy.’ … Seventeen years playing on the road was quite an amazing run,” she reminisced.
Meeting Carlos Santana:
While playing with Kravitz at a music festival in Germany in 2005, Cindy crossed paths with Carlos Santana. The chemistry between them was palpable, both onstage and off. Cindy and Carlos got married the following year, and she officially became Cindy Blackman Santana.
While playing with Kravitz at a music festival in Germany in 2005, she met her future husband Carlos Santana.
“I was with Lenny Kravitz, and Santana was playing; they played first,” Blackman Santana said. “I met Carlos just really briefly, I got a chance to meet him, but there were no sparks or anything like that, I was [already romantically] involved, and I believe he was involved as well. Five years later … he was trying to figure out what drummer to get to sub. … Carlos and I just connected musically, then as we started talking, we connected spiritually.”
He dramatically proposed to her on stage during a concert in Chicago on July 9, 2010.
“I was playing ‘Corazón Espinado’, and I took a drum solo,” Blackman Santana said. “He called me up to the front of the stage, and he started talking. … It seemed like forever, and then he just looked at me, and it was like a golden silence; it wasn’t a dead-zone silence; it was really golden because of the way he was looking at me. We’re in front of 20 to 30,000 people, then he just said it, ‘Cindy, will you marry me?’ I was pretty floored, but I said, ‘Yes, absolutely.’”
Musical Exploration and Revamped Classics:
At The Carlyle Room, Cindy’s band showcased a mix of originals and reimagined works by artists like Wayne Shorter. Their fresh interpretations breathed new life into familiar tunes.
Cindy emphasized the band’s ability to take musical journeys, infusing excitement and energy into their performances.
Passion and Enduring Love for Music:
Despite the challenges of touring and the demands of the music industry, Cindy’s passion for drumming remains unwavering. Cindy Blackman Santana Journey from Lenny Kravitz’s drummer to Carlos Santana’s wife exemplifies her dedication and talent. Fans can witness her dynamic drumming at The Carlyle Room, where she continues to rock the stage.
Cindy Blackman Santana Journey. Fourteen years later, the husband and wife musicians are still going strong.
“It’s really great to do what you love best with the person that you love,” she said. “We’re able to share something that is so divine. Music to me is like prayer, it’s the highest form of communication because it transcends and transverses any kind of barrier whether it’s racial, political, or cultural — no matter what it is, it transcends that. So I love music and to be able to share that with Carlos is just the ultimate trip, the ultimate joy, the ultimate ride.”
Cindy Blackman Santana Journey is one of resilience, creativity, and a deep connection to the rhythm that fuels her soul.
