On March 28, Carlos Santana released a new retrospective album titled Sentient, an 11-track collection that includes remastered versions of several previously available songs featuring the guitar great collaborating with other famous artists. During a recent interview about the project with American Songwriter, Santana revealed that he also has some brand-new music in the works.
Carlos told American Songwriter that he’d just worked on a new track with Grupo Frontera, an award-winning Texas-based band that plays regional Mexican music.
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The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer said he “had a lot of fun recording” the song, which he’s planning to release as a single in late May.
Santana also shared that he’s been discussing doing an exciting potential collaborative project with a fellow guitar legend, Eric Clapton.
“Eric and I, we were talking about doing an album together,” Carlos explained. “Something more like [a The] Good, [the] Bad and the Ugly kind of thing,” he added, referring to the classic 1966 Spaghetti Western film that featured a memorable score by Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
Santana then noted that the Northern African music collective Tinariwen might also be involved. “They’re from the deserts,” he said. “And so, we’re talking about doing different things.”
More About Working with Eric Clapton
Santana, who’s 77, also reflected on the long and fruitful careers he and Clapton both have enjoyed.
“I just heard that my brother Eric Clapton is celebrating 80 years, and I’m right behind him,” he pointed out. “And I’m very grateful that Eric and I, we’re still relevant. You know, we can still show up and people show up, and we’re able to uplift people. … We just play, and then they get up off their seats, and it’s kind of like a hallelujah revival, Holy Spirit kind of thing.”
Santana added, “[T]hat’s what music’s supposed to do, elevate you out of your existence and to a place where you also feel your own divinity and your own light. That’s real music.”
Santana’s Injured Hand Is Feeling Better
Carlos also noted that the session with Grupo Frontera marked the first time he played in the studio since breaking his fingers in a fall at his home in Hawaii a few months ago.
“I was a little n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nervous because, you know, it was quite an accident,” Santana admitted. “For a microsecond, I was scared [about] if I was ever going to be able to play again, ’cause I really did break my … baby finger, and the one next to it. And those are the expression fingers, you know. But to my delight, I had no problem playing … I was able to dig in deep into the music.”
He also suggested that the injury was less likely to affect his playing because his style doesn’t rely on speed.
“I’ve never been a fast guy anyway, so, I go for deep notes,” Carlos maintained. “Some people go for fast … and for me, the faster you play, the less I feel anything. You know, it’s kind of like going to the gym and watching somebody flex their muscles. It’s, like, boring, you know. When people play deep and slow, then it’s like a very endearing hug.”
Santana’s 2025 Performance Plans
As previously reported, Carlos’ injury forced Santana and his band to postpone a series of Las Vegas residency dates that had been scheduled in January and February.
Santana’s 2025 itinerary now will kick off with an April 16 show in Highland, California.
The band has more than 60 concerts scheduled this year. They include U.S. and European legs of its Oneness Tour, and multiple Las Vegas engagements as part of its long-running residency at the House of Blues.
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