Ladies, Carlos Santana is in town – and he’s here just for you.
[full]”Songs such as Maria Maria or Smooth … I don’t play for men, I play for women,” the Grammy Award winner said casually yesterday.
He said women needed romance and that his music set the mood for it.
Santana will perform in South Africa for the first time tonight at Grand West, Cape Town. On Saturday he will be at FNB Stadium, in Johannesburg.
He said that though South Africa had long been close to his heart he had to wait for just the right time to visit this country.
“. I am very happy to be here. It feels different . I am so blessed because my first time in South Africa I got to be with Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.”
His 2006 visit with his family and celebrities such as Alfre Woodard, of 12 Years a Slave fame, was an “emotional time for all”.
Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada took Santana and his entourage on a tour of Robben Island, where he, former president Mandela and other political prisoners were incarcerated by the apartheid government.
Kathrada, of Indian descent, related some of the experiences on the island: “I was given [long] trousers and socks but black prisoners, like Mr Mandela, had to wear short pants because they were [called] ‘boys’ .
” They even got less sugar than I did .”
Santana said returning to the country was another emotional moment for him.
He said he wished his “sister”, Brenda Fassie, were still alive to share the stage with him.
Santana said he would like to collaborate with world-acclaimed South African musicians Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela. Johnny Clegg will perform at the show in Johannesburg.
He invited other artists to “make contact”.
“Our stage is open … if they want to play, let us know who they are.”
His latest album – featuring the likes of Gloria Estefan and Pitbull – will be released this year.[/full]
Santana – Maria Maria