Guitar Gear

Last night, I watched a Dan Rather “Big Interview” episode from 2015 with guest, Carlos Santana. Santana’s music has always held a special place in my heart as I grew up listening to it. The riff from “Oye Como Va” has haunted my consciousness for close to 50 years now, since it came out in 1970.

In fact, “Abraxas,” on which “Oye Como Va” was on was my very first rock and roll cassette! I played that cassette till the text was well worn off and until the tape finally broke. It became one of my chores tapes, blasting out of my boom box while I did chores, especially yard work. And though I’ve had several guitar influences over the course of my playing career, Santana’s guitar playing will always hold a special place in my heart because his sound represents a sound of my youth that has been indelibly etched into my memory.

But more than his sound, it is the man himself who has provided me with so much inspiration. Santana is a very spiritual man. His approach to playing is incredibly spiritual. I connect with that because I’m exactly the same way with how I approach the instrument. I daresay that Santana’s influence though perhaps not overt, has been there implicitly.

Circling back to the interview with Dan Rather, Dan asked Carlos what he would say to someone who wanted to pick up guitar. Carlos simply replied, “I tell them, ‘Look at that guitar. Can hear it playing? When you look at it, does it give you the chills? If it doesn’t, maybe you should think about doing something else.”

When I heard that, I first thought, Damn! That’s harsh. But when I gave it a little thought, I have the same reaction with my own guitars. When I look at my guitars, I get the chills. I can hear their sound in my head and heart without playing them. The way I play each guitar is a little different as I adjust to each one’s personality. I know, that might sound a little weird. But guitar playing is an extremely spiritual thing for me. I connect with the soul of the instrument. It gives me the chills.

So I get what Santana is saying.