WERS 88.9 fm - Artist Interview: Salvador Santana

February 25^th, 2010

The name Santana may be a household name, but there's a new Santana on the scene. The 26-year-old keyboardist, and son of rock legend Carlos Santana, released his second album (his first solo record) this month. Keyboard City, on which he collaborated with Beastie Boys' Money Mark, and Bay Area MC/producer Del the Funky Homosapien, is a funky, upbeat record. From his hotel balcony in sunny San Diego, Salvador Santana chats with WERS about working with Money Mark, his aspirations, inspirations, the new record, and a little bit about his dear old dad.

WERS: What was your inspiration behind the album Keyboard City?

Salvador Santana: That's a fun question… I guess it started with me being away from the studio for some time.  I was on tour for the entirety of 2007 and most of 2008. I wasn't writing much music—I was performing a lot. Once I got a break from touring everything worked out, and through mutual friends and my management I was able to link up with Mr. Money Mark. We got together and everything just fell into place. I felt really comfortable collaborating with him and making music with him. A lot of tunes you hear on the record are what Mark and I were coming up with on the fly. There are also a lot of my personal feelings, thoughts, and affirmations incorporated into the record based on what was going on in my life… so there were a lot of things that really inspired Keyboard City but it was all positive inspiration for the most part.

WERS: So what is distinctive about it? What makes it different from everything else that's out there right now?

Santana: I think it's different because now-a-days—and its been like this for awhile—you turn on the TV, the radio, you read the newspaper, and there's just a lot of negative energy and negative information that's going out…there's this unspoken thing going on—people think it's cool to be upset and pissed off. With this record I wanted to demonstrate to people from a younger generation—especially kids and young adults—I wanted to show them it's normal to get upset or pissed off—that's part of life, that's being human. But, it's also cool—and a part of life—to be positive, and be happy—to enjoy those moments too. You're not less of a man, or less of a woman if you're taking the time to validate yourself, and be happy, and enjoy the moment that was made for you. Each song on Keyboard City reiterates that message in a different way—especially "Under the sun," and "This Day Belongs to You." I'm just trying to spread the message that it's cool to be positive as well.

WERS: So would you say this album is a response to all the emo-type, negative music out there?

Santana: Yeah, in a way, but it's not like when 50 Cent gets in the studio and disses Kanye, or when Blink 182 gets in the studio and disses Limp Bizkit or something… It's more of a positive thing. It's natural and normal to get pissed off, but at the same time, you get over it. Somebody said this to me the other day, and it was so great, I literally fell out of my chair laughing. It was, "Cry yourself a river, build a bridge, and then get over it." That resonated with me in the early concepts of creating the record. I thought it was a funny affirmation to say to myself—to not take things so seriously. I felt myself feeling the pressure of creating a record, meeting deadlines, and going on tour—but we as human beings put enough pressure on ourselves. The one thing that helps is to enjoy the positive… I think my personal message and lesson in creating this record is just to enjoy these moments that are given to us—and that's what I'm learning to do every day.

If you take a look at the cover it's visually enticing and different. It's got that pop-up art, and you visually see the Keyboard City, so I was able to just pick a theme somewhere in the process—I didn't know that I was going to call my record Keyboard City, I just had a song at the time called "Keyboard City," and I thought it was the coolest image in my head. I just wanted to roll with it, and eventually it snowballed and took off. A few years ago it was just something in my imagination, and now it's tangible, now it's for real, and I'm super happy about that.

WERS: Yeah, the cover art is very interesting and I noticed it right off the bat. Did you conjure up the image yourself—did you commission an artist to make it?

Santana: Exactly—I got on the phone with Damon Locks who did a lot of record covers for Stone Throw Records, J Dilla's record company, and a few other hip-hop artists. I got on the phone with him a few times, and described to him what I was thinking. It took a few tries, but eventually he came up with what you see in the front cover. I just looked at it and I got on the phone with my manager—everyone thought I was super mad because I called a conference call immediately, but I was jumping up and down saying, "This is it! That's my record cover—this is it!" It's exactly what I was imagining in my head all this time… It was really cool to see an image I had in my head actually come to life, because I'll be honest with you, I can barely draw a stick figure. I can't draw at all. If I could draw like I play music I would design my own record covers but sometimes you just have to take a step back and trust people you have around you to help make your idea. I'm very proud of it, and now I'm anxious to see how other people respond to it. So far I've gotten nothing but positive feedback.

WERS: I noticed that your first record came out under the name The Salvador Santana Band, but for Keyboard City you dropped the "Band." What made you decide to make this change—and what does it mean for the music?

Santana: That's a good question. It doesn't mean too much for the music; the music is constantly evolving, and I try to maintain the same attitude, and maintain the same person I've always been. My dad always told me, "Hey, Salvador, do me a favor Son, don't ever change—always be yourself." That also resonated with me. So, it didn't really affect the music as much. On the last record, we, the Salvador Santana Band, tried to capture in studio the sound we were creating live. The only problem was it wasn't featuring me as much as it could have, so I wanted to take an alternate approach with Keyboard City. I decided to just capture what I do in the studio when I just jam out and pretend no one is watching… Keyboard City features me, Salvador Santana, and what I've been up to the last few years, and what I've been doing my entire life: creating. Each song on Keyboard City has its own way of saying be positive, smile, you're beautiful when you smile, enjoy this moment. Without being cheesy I'm trying to let people know that it's okay to be happy, and it's okay to feel good. Maybe it's like Prozac for the ears, I dunno. But either way I just want people to enjoy and celebrate, and have as much fun with Keyboard City as I did making it.

WERS: A question then about the creation: You mentioned in our conversation and on your website that you've never transformed so many ideas into songs as you did while you were working with Beastie Boys' Money Mark—what made this collaboration so successful?

Santana: Hmm, no one's ever asked me that question or put it that way… I think two things: one being that it was predestined—I think everything was meant to happen—it was just a matter of when the conditions could be right—for our schedules to be free for the dedication needed on a project like this. And two: I think it was just knowing as an artist when to give my input, when to step in, and take a firm grip of the situation. But also, to split the difference, and take a step back, and trust the people around me—trust that they want me to put my best foot forward, trust their guidance.

WERS: So how involved is your father in your music career? Does he critique your music and work with you on developing your ideas—or does he try to stay out of it? Is it inspiring or discouraging pursuing a music career in the footsteps of Carlos Santana?

Santana: Yes, my father is involved in, and is a part of my musical career. There's a balance between him giving me advice based on situations he's gone through in his past, and knowing when to let me take control of my own destiny. Yes, he critiques my music... Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. I try to focus of course on the pluses and it is very helpful to pursue my own career knowing that I don't have to be like my dad, [or] accomplish everything he's accomplished. God gave me my own path to follow and I have many missions and goals to accomplish on my own. I guess I do have big shoes to fill: My Own. Especially since my dad's shoe size 8 1/2 and I'm a size 15.

WERS: On your website you mention your desire to work with non-profits, and I saw you have a few links on your page under the title "Get Involved"—can you tell us what your long and short term goals are regarding these organizations?

Santana: Absolutely. I like to help other people and involve myself with non-profit organizations because I was inspired at a young age by watching my parents. Everyone always compliments my father on being a rock icon and a guitar god, but everyone always forgets that both my parents have done so much for people in the United States—and even outside the county—who are less fortunate: building orphanages, sanctuaries for endangered animals, building schools in places in Africa where there are no schools and the war is going on—the list goes on and on—and I've always been inspired by that. It's more than just music; it's more than making records, or winning a Grammy. My younger sister said something to my dad that really resonated with him and he constantly text messages [it to] me … my sister wrote to my dad, "We are all here to serve people with kindness, and with grace." And I've always felt that, but to hear someone else say that really helped put it in perspective for me, and that's what really got me involved with Amnesty, and the [American] Nicaraguan Foundation. I guess my short-term goals on the website are to advertise different organizations that I'm sponsoring, or that I would like people to check out. It will be on a rotation—so everybody gets a little bit of love.

WERS: Great! Any last thoughts or anything you would like us to know that I haven't already gotten to?

Santana: I strongly encourage everyone to check out SalvadorSantana.com—we'll be posting non-profit organizations so if anyone wants to check those out and help out that'd be awesome. If you haven't checked out Keyboard City do it, and let me know how you feel.

- By Lindsay Tucker