Over the years, we’ve interviewed stars who don’t like to say much, stars who talk a lot, and Carlos Santana, who delivers quotes that you can’t quite believe he’s just said.
In honour of his return to the Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz Festival on February 26, 2016, let’s take a look back at five bizarrely inspirational things Santana told tabloid! the last time he was here.
On his band performing live: “We love to rearrange molecule structure. Because sound, resonant vibration, makes humans feel the centre of their heart. And when you feel the centre of your heart, you remember your own forgotten song. Your forgotten song is that, you too — like Desmond Tutu, or the Dalai Lama, or the Pope, and especially women, women who’ve won the Nobel Peace Prize — you too can make a difference in life. Create blessings and miracles."
On the ‘jazz’ game: “People need to know that jazz musicians are navigators that navigate in an ocean. I navigate in a big lake. Other people navigate in a swimming pool. Jazz, because of Charlie Parker and John Coltrane and Miles [Davis], is a very highly evolved form of improvisation … It’s just an expression — it’s just an expression that is supremely evolved.”
On his album being ‘woman-friendly’: “We’re due to have a woman pope — what would that be? Instead of pope, it would be …? Mama Chola? I really feel that [with] the new revolution in this planet … things don’t change until the women take charge. So the new revolution will be conducted with women principles. Otherwise, it will be the same stupid people running the same stupid machine of war and ego — male ego.”
On taking a break from music: “To me, a break is having a guitar in my hands … I’m always taking a break. When I’m on stage, it’s a break, when I’m offstage, it’s a break. Because I don’t think the way I used to think. Anytime you worry, you’re not taking a break. I don’t worry anymore, because as long as I can do this with my eyes closed [he alternates touching his nose with each index finger], I can seriously kick some booty with some energy and music.”
On endless possibilities: “You only become unnecessary when you’re ruled by fear and ego. If you function from the centre of your heart, you’re never going to go out of style. People need your newness, your sincerity. Genuine, honest, sincere, truthful, real, authentic. All those six words signify something, that when it goes inside a note, it’s gonna make you cry, it’s gonna make you dance, it’s gonna make you feel ten times more sexy. That’s what music’s supposed to do. Make you feel divine and sensual without guilt.”
Don’t miss it:
Tickets for Carlos Santanta go on sale at noon on November 18 via Ticketmaster, ticketmaster.ae and 800-TM-UAE. Regular standing: Dh395; Golden Circle; Dh795; Fan Pit: Dh995; and VIP: Dh1,450.
