For this month’s edition of Summer of Geezers Concert reviews, I will summarize my visit to Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow to watch and listen to one of the most legendary guitar players ever, Carlos Santana. He just turned 77 years young in July and just like John Fogerty from last month’s article, was an artist at the original Woodstock festival in 1969. Carlos unfortunately, had to bow to his geezer status and sit for most of the show due to a balky back. This did not diminish his musicianship in the least. His crack band; includes 3 percussionists, and his most awesome wife, Cindy Blackman, on the drums. The driving rhythm from Blackman and the nuances from the percussion players were otherworldly. Can you tell how impressed I was? Santana leads the band with his biting, precise, and fluid guitar work. I have listened to Santana since my older neighbors introduced me to Black Magic Woman. This is the first time I have seen him live. Legitimate goosebumps were going up my arms several times during the show.
Opening with Soul Sacrifice from Santana’s first album, Carlos was blowing heat from the start, expertly leading the rest of the band through an extended workout stretching over 6 minutes. Following up with Jingo, Evil Ways, and Black Magic Woman leading into a long jam of Gypsy Queen. What an opening salvo to start the festivities! I have given the percussionists praise, now it’s time to shout out to Benny the bass player. Bass guitarists generally get ignored because it is usually not a lead instrument. Benny, locked in with drummer Cindy Blackman, produced a jaw-dropping bass solo that didn’t lose my interest even after 10 minutes.
After a 3 song cover medley of, She’s Not There, Spill the Wine, and Papa Was a Rolling Stone, Santana played several cuts from his 2000 massive comeback album Supernatural. Maria Maria was well received and had the whole crowd up and swaying. Carlos was visibly hobbling off the stage in pain after the last song. He had given his all and the nearly packed outdoor arena was howling for an encore. Santana then sent out his secret weapon for the 1st encore, his drummer and wife Cindy Blackman to take an extended drum solo. She got her first taste of stardom as the drummer for retro rocker Lenny Kravitz and later joined Santana. A romance bloomed, and she and Carlos were married. When the encore comes at Jiffy Lube Live, I leave my seat and go to the top of the lawn so I can see the last few songs, but also to get to the car as quickly as possible to avoid Jiffy Lube’s infamously snarled traffic. Cindy Blackman proceeds to blow my mind and everyone else’s with her tremendous power and skill behind the kit. Most drum solos get boring pretty quickly. This one just kept getting better and when the whole band joined in at the end, the fans gave Cindy an extended standing ovation. Santana ended with Smooth, the mega-hit with Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty on vocals. Everyone I have written about is a legend for a reason. The shows I have witnessed this summer have all been phenomenal! Don’t wait until they are gone and have regrets. 5 canes. What a superb show!
