Benny Rietveld Anchors New Santana Album, “Africa Speaks”
Guitar legend Carlos Santana pays tribute to the music of Africa on his twenty-fifth studio album, entitled Africa Speaks. Produced by Rick Rubin, the songs come from the rocker’s heart.
“This is music that I hold so dearly, and it’s not a stranger to me,” Santana said. “The rhythms, grooves and melodies from Africa have always inspired me. It’s in my DNA. If you take your inspiration from many, it’s called research. I researched this beautiful music from the African continent. They have a frequency that’s all their own. It’s funny, because when I play in Africa, people say, ‘How do you know our music?’ And I say, ‘How can I not know what I love?’”
The 11-song album is once again anchored by longtime collaborator Benny Rietveld, who has been in the band steadily since 1997. Get a taste of his monster bass lines while Santana explains the album (and plays the upright!) in this trailer:
Africa Speaks is available now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).
Africa Speaks Track List:
- Africa Speaks
- Batonga
- Oye Este Mi Canto
- Yo Me Lo Merezco
- Blue Skies
- Paraísos Quemados
- Breaking Down the Door
- Los Invisibles
- Bembele
- Candombe Cumbele
