Salvador Santana Band 'SSB' album

The Salvador Santana Band (SSB), featuring bandleader, vocalist, composer & keyboardist Salvador Santana, is set to release its debut full-length album SSB on February 26. The musically and lyrically charged disc, for which Salvador Santana also served as Album Producer, comes out on the artist’s VBE imprint with distribution through Tsunami Label Group. From the bracing rhythms of the opening track “Oh Yea Yeah” through “Why Yo,” a politically-skewed dancehall track featuring Asdru Sierra of Ozomatli on lead vocal and trumpet, SSB pulses with a fresh, high-spirited sonic fusion of conscious hip-hop, rock, funk, R&B and Latin sounds.

Leading with innovation and seamless interplay, the Salvador Santana Band make an original and confident debut with SSB. Other stand-outs include the irrepressible “Summer’s Day,” co-written and produced by DJ Nu-Mark (Jurassic 5) and the slinky “Imacallya,” co-written by Ryan Tedder of One Republic. Another collaboration, the bravura “Me & U,” features a searing guitar solo from Salvador’s father, legendary musician Carlos Santana (it was co-written by SSB and Andy Vargas of the Santana Band). Highlights also include the beat-heavy and wordplay dense “Hella Tight,” the sultry flow of “In My Dreams” and the group’s hot, funky cover of “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied).”

Throughout the tight 13-song set, Salvador Santana’s deft rap poetics complement the soulful intonations of fellow vocalist Quincy McCrary (formerly of Quetzal and Burning Star). The Salvador Santana Band’s current line-up also features: bassist Emerson Cardenas (who’s been with the group since its formation), guitarist Woody Aplanalp (Lauryn Hill, Nels Cline, Thomas Mapfumo, etc.), drummer Tony Austin (who also sits in with soul legend Solomon Burke) and ex-Ozomatli multi-instrumentalist Jose “Crunchy” Espinosa.

The Salvador Santana Band originally formed in 2004, and in 2005, released the 5-song EP Demo. They got their start on the road supporting Santana in the U.S. and Europe, and have since toured with Los Lonely Boys, Robert Randolph and the Family Band and Rusted Root. They have also played major festivals including Bonnaroo, High Sierra, San Francisco’s North Beach Jazz Festival and Jazz Aspen Snowmass. Most recently, the group toured nationwide in 2007 with the B-Side Players.

Salvador Santana recently appeared with Carlos Santana on the nationally syndicated PBS show Tavis Smiley (Salvador has collaborated with Carlos on a number of projects, including co-writing 1999’s GRAMMY®-winning instrumental track, “El Farol,” from the Santana Band’s smash album Supernatural). The Salvador Santana Band will be touring in support of their debut album SSB beginning with a date in Santa Cruz, CA on February 28. Upcoming festival performances include SXSW in Austin, TX and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

tour dates
February 21 Winston’s San Diego, CA
February 23 Temple Bar Santa Monica, CA
February 28 Moe's Alley Santa Cruz, CA
February 29 Little Fox Redwood City, CA
March 17 Take It El Paso, TX
March 19 Launch Pad Albuquerque, NM
March 20 Santa Fe Brewing Company Santa Fe, NM
March 21 The Summit Durango, CO
March 22 Fly Me To The Moon Telluride, CO
March 25 Sherpa & Yeti’s Breckenridge, CO
March 26 Mesa Theater Grand Junction, CO
March 27 The Calypso Crested Butte, CO
March 28 Belly Up Aspen, CO
March 29 Cervante’s Masterpiece Denver, CO
April 1 Aggie Theatre Ft. Collins, CO
April 2 Samana Lounge Vail, CO
April 3 Trilogy Wine Bar Boulder, CO

biography
Drawing upon an array of musical styles, the Salvador Santana Band thrives on collaboration and innovation. Bursting with hip-hop, rock, funk, R&B and traditional Latin sounds; the sonic amalgam which gives life to SSB –the collective’s official debut– sizzles with allure. Simply put: It’s unlike anything else you’re going to hear in 2008.

For more than four decades the name Santana has been synonymous with groundbreaking musical approaches, and 25 year old keyboardist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Salvador Santana is well-versed in the familial traditions. Built out of what he calls “a mix of all my favorite music, the best of what’s impacted my life, all coming together in a new way” SSB takes flight with the Afrobeat-bolstered “Oh Yea Yeah.” Launching the album in a fun and celebratory style, the track has Salvador’s rap vocals meshing with the soulful intonations of Quincy McCrary (formerly of Quetzal and Burning Star) atop a scorching fusion of percussion and horns. “We wrote collectively as a band,” Salvador explains. “So it’s a strong song to open the record with. It’s a great representation of what we sound like, but at the same time we don’t give everything away.”

In addition to Salvador and McCrary, the current incarnation of the Salvador Santana Band includes bassist Emerson Cardenas, guitarist Woody Aplanalp, drummer Tony Austin (who moonlights for Solomon Burke) and former Ozomatli multi-instrumentalist Jose “Crunchy” Espinosa. The line-up had only been playing together for a year and a half when SSB was recorded, making their seamless, interlocking prowess that much more awe-inspiring.

“The band and I tried to follow our gut instincts as often as possible,” Salvador reflects. “As my first record, it was very much an experiment, but one that I think everyone involved really enjoyed. I have an awesome band and had the pleasure of working with some wonderful, supportive people. I’m very confident about what we’ve done.”

From the buoyant “Sounds Good”, a rhythmic, soulful and lyrical call to arms, to the provocative and irresistibly funky “Imacallya” (co-written by Ryan Tedder of One Republic) that self-assuredness translates on SSB. It’s evident on the undeniably catchy, “Summer’s Day,” which was co-written and produced by Jurassic 5’s own DJ Nu-Mark, and manifested on “Me & U,” the breathtaking collaboration between his band and his father, legendary guitarist Carlos Santana.

“I was just like, ‘Hey dad. Try a couple takes where you just go for it. And then do a couple where you sort of play along and we’ll decide what works best’,” Salvador explains. “He was really happy to be a part of it, and we were all really pleased with the outcome.”

Elsewhere, a cameo by Asdru Sierra of Ozomatli helps the SSB light the politically-charged, dancehall fuse known as “Why Yo.” Asdru’s appearance is an extension of Salvador’s alignment with Crunchy, who Sal first met and befriended when Ozomatli was the support act on Santana’s legendary 1999-2000 Supernatural tour. Crunchy signed on to the SSB in 2006 and helped Salvador perfect the existing line-up. “Working with Crunchy has just been a fantastic experience,” he asserts.

Salvador knows he is fortunate to be in the company of longtime musical ally Cardenas and more recently discovered talents McCrary, Austin and Aplanalp,. “They’ve all brought in such great and eclectic music, and great ideas,” he says. “I’m really happy with the line-up that I have and at some point I’d like to see it grow. I think if you’re close minded you can close yourself off from bigger and better opportunities.”

“I think the best thing to happen is that we’ve all gotten to know each other onstage and off on successful tours with Carlos and the Santana Band, Ozomatli, Rusted Root, Robert Randolph and the B-Side Players” Salvador explains. “And I think that’s important as we grow and take the band to the next level” Excited to take the sounds of SSB to stages in support of its 2008 unveiling, Salvador enthuses, “This band excels live. When we’re up there and the audience is receiving our energy and giving theirs back to us, its euphoria.”

Weaned on artists as diverse as Bob Marley, Ozomatli, Jurassic 5, The Roots Jimi Hendrix, Billy Cobham and underground hip-hop outfit Atmosphere, not to mention his family’s own astounding musical legacy, Salvador Santana was drawn to musical instruments, specifically the piano, at a very young age. Born to ten time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana and his author mother Deborah (who penned the 2005 memoir Space Between the Stars), Salvador’s first official collaboration with his father led to him earning a Grammy at the age of fifteen for the track “El Farol,” off of Santana’s smash 1999 album Supernatural.

Born and raised in Northern California, Salvador studied at San Francisco’s heralded School of the Arts before attending Cal Arts in Valencia, CA. In 2004 the band began an active touring schedule and started to develop their musical imprint. It was around this time that Sal collaborated with his father on “Open Up Your Eyes,” which can be found on the Milagro Foundation benefit CD Food For Thought. In 2006, the SSB teamed up with Santana’s Andy Vargas for an acclaimed reworking of “Evil Ways,” the lead track on the 2006 compilation, A Song For My Father. Now, with the arrival of 2008’s SSB, the Salvador Santana Band is set to capture the attention of music lovers throughout the world.

who is who?
Salvador Santana – Keyboards, vocals
Emerson Cardenas – Bass
Woody Aplanalp – Guitar, vocals
Tony Austin – Drums
Quincy McCary – Vocals, keyboards
Jose “Crunchy” Espinosa – Sax, flute, percussion, vocals

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Salvador Santana Band - SSB