Courtesy of Universal Tone ManagementCarlos Santana and his wife, Santana drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, have teamed up with jazz-fusion great John McLaughlin and acclaimed drummer/producer Narada Michael Walden on a new song inspired by the COVID-19 lockdown called “The Quarantine Blues.”
The track, which was recorded remotely, features Cindy on lead vocals, Carlos and John on guitar, and Narada on drums. It also features veteran bassist Ralphe Armstrong, who played with McLaughlin and Walden in the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the 1970s. Carlos and John are longtime friends: They released the collaborative album Love Devotion Surrender in 1973.
A companion video for “The Quarantine Blues” was shot in the locations where the musicians have been self-isolating: Hawaii, Monaco, Detroit and San Rafael, California.
Fans who enjoy the song and video are being asked to donate money to the MusiCares Coronavirus Relief Fund, which helps in-need musicians who have been affected financially by the shutdown of all live music because of the pandemic. You can help the cause by visiting Grammy.com.
The end of the video includes messages from all of the participating musicians discussing the song and asking people to help support the fund.
Carlos says, “We want to thank our brother John McLaughlin, our brother Narada Michael Walden, [and] of course Cindy for creating this incredible experience to help…musicians. Thank you for offering your light, your concern and your compassion. Peace.”
Narada recently lent his musical and production talents to Santana‘s 2019 EP In Search of Mona Lisa and has produced tracks for Cindy’s upcoming album, Give the Drummer Some. He also just joined Journey — which features and was co-founded by ex-Santana member Neal Schon — as that group’s new drummer.
By Matt Friedlander
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