I heard about the death of Little Richard today. I wasn’t a big fan of his but after listening to some interviews of his with Tom Snyder, David Letterman and Arsenio Hall I realized what a great talent he was. He certainly set the world on it’s ear in the 1950’s. My musical tastes are very eclectic. I like everything from Gregorian Chant to Purple Haze and everything in between and around. I’m a fan of the Allman Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Kenny G, George Benson and many more. In the 1960’s I loved the Temptations and Four Tops. In the post Woodstock era I became a fan of Santana, Richie Havens and CSNY. I’ve seen a number of good musicians in live concerts and those events included Santana, Rolling Stones, Doobie Brothers, Temptations and Kenny G. to name a few.
The one guy that I continue to admire and listen to is Carlos Santana. His music is universal. He incorporates the mystical and spiritual rhythms of blues, rock and Latin. His music transcends barriers and generations. Tonight while reading I was listening to one of my favorites, Samba Pa Ti. I frequently listen to it over and over. At one time I owned almost all of Santana’s albums. A couple of years ago I read his book, The Universal Tone.
Some people are put on this planet to help elevate consciousness, and through them come the sound and words and vibrations and music.
Carlos Santana, The Universal Tone: My Life