Cindy Blackman Santana is a virtuoso drummer whose artistry spans the realms of jazz and rock. As a bandleader and as a musician, Cindy is a sound innovator with a passion for pushing creative boundaries and exploring movement and change. She is as known for the nuances and colours she brings to her beats and fills as she is for the sheer power of her soulful playing.
Cindy has been creating magnificent musical time and space since the beginning of her career as a busking street performer in New York City in the ’80s through the present day, touring the globe and making albums at the top of her game—including the critically acclaimed Another Lifetime (2010). In addition to collaborating onstage and in-studio with her own group—also known as Another Lifetime—she has toured and recorded with artists including Pharoah Sanders, Cassandra Wilson, Bill Laswell, Joss Stone, Joe Henderson, Buckethead, Don Pullen, Hugh Masakela, and Angela Bofill. From 1992 to 2007 and again in 2014 & 2015 she was the drummer in Lenny Kravitz’s band, performing through multiple world tours and hit albums. In 2010, she was part of the all-star line-up performing “Bitches Brew,” a tribute to Miles Davis’ seminal album staged at the San Francisco Jazz Festival and NYC Winter JazzFest. More recently, Cindy has become the regular touring drummer for her husband Carlos Santana’s band Santana.
Late last year Cindy released a new album Give The Drummer Some. The album highlights Cindy’s incredible versatility both behind the drum kit and in front of the microphone and features the creme de la creme of guitarists, including eight songs with Carlos Santana, two songs with John McLaughlin, three songs with Vernon Reid, and one song with Kirk Hammett. With multiple tracks produced by Grammy Award-winning Narada Michael Walden, the album is an eclectic mixture of old school funk and radio-friendly rock/pop combined with rock and jazz instrumentals.
On Friday January 22, 2021 Cindy will be honoured at the annual She Rocks Awards as part of NAMM’s Believe In Music Week. Australian Musician editor caught up with Cindy via zoom to chat about her 2021 She Rocks Awards honour, the new album and her gear.
SHE ROCKS AWARDS: Friday, January 22, 2021 PT TIME (Sat Jan 23 Australia)
5:00 p.m. PT Red Carpet 12pm AEST Jan 23)
6:00 p.m. PT Pre-Show Countdown (1pm AEST Jan 23)
6:30 p.m. PT Awards Show with Live Performances (1.30pm AEST Jan 23)
WHERE: The virtual event will stream for FREE on two platforms, Parade.com/sherocks and www.believeinmusic.tv.