Guitar.com Live: Cindy Blackman Santana explains the all-star cast for Give The Drummer Some

Guitar.com Live: For her latest record, Give The Drummer Some, Cindy Blackman Santana brought together some of the biggest names from the guitar world for an epic 17-track tour de force.

Blackman celebrated the launch of the album with a panel chat on our virtual guitar show, bringing along with her album players Vernon Reid, John McLaughlin and husband Carlos Santana.

Blackman explained that picking the right guitar player for each of the album’s songs was surprisingly natural, calling the process “very magnetic and organic”.

“Energy was in mind, but in terms of songs, that happened very organically. Each song just gravitated to each person,” She said. “Some of it came as a result of just being in the studio and being together and playing and coming up with ideas.”

Blackman’s drumming career has seen her record and perform with a diverse array of artists from Pharoah Sanders to Lenny Kravitz to Buckethead. Give The Drummer Some gave fans the opportunity to enjoy Blackman’s musical talents as a vocalist.

“Singing is very interesting because you know drums [are] not melodic instruments – they’re percussive instruments,” she explained. “So to sing and to be able to deliver a melody is a beautiful to express.

“I love harmony and melody, I love hearing certain notes over chords and the way that’s all done.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, while discussing the heavy-hitting tune We Came To Play. John McLaughlin reflected on growing up on music from the 60s and 70s likely played a part into the passion felt on the track.

“We grew up with music from the 60s and 70s which was full of passion – and that’s the landmark,” McLaughlin said. “In a way i regret the way some modes of jazz have gone […] where you play it in a bistro and people just talk over it.”

“One thing that I really love that piece [We Came To Play] and the way it turned out […] it’s almost like an Indian classical setup, where you have percussion and you have the lead instrument plays this kind of motif or riff – and then give the drummer some!”

Listen to We Came To Play below:

Watch the entire panel discussion above.

For more content from our virtual guitar show, visit Guitar.com/live