Santana

Few artists have gone through more reinventions than Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana, going from his Latin-jam days fueled by his unforgettable appearance at Woodstock to his lackluster days in the ’80s (even though his band was still considered a top live act) to his resurgence after his multi-Grammy winner Supernatural almost a decade ago. In the meantime, Santana has flirted with various other musical formats that few associate him with — take, for instance, his collaborations with the likes of Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, and other jazz luminaries with whom he’s shared the spotlight in recent years. These days, Santana has stuck to the formula that made Supernatural a hit, putting out records with the participation of industry heavies; his last release, 2005’s All That I Am, features Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett (among others). On the current tour, he is, in a way, passing the torch to the next generation by hiring the band led by his son and fellow guitarist Salvador Santana, which has a more R&B-oriented sound — meaning that fans will get two Santanas for the price of one.