Carlos Santana has teamed up with Steve Winwood for the third single from the legendary guitarist’s upcoming album, Blessings and Miracles: a cover of Procol Harum‘s 1967 classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale.”
The idea for the two to record the song together came from Santana, who suggested it to Winwood when they were both performing in London’s Hyde Park. “I said, ‘You and I have to do it, but we’re going to do it very sexy, like a Hare Krishna but with congas,’” Santana recalls. “I played the components in his ear, and he said, ‘I hear it, Carlos. You’re right.’”
“So that’s what we did — it’s Santana, Cuban, Puerto Rican in an African way. And man, you talk about sexy,” adds Carlos. “Steve’s voice is so sexy and beautiful.”
Winwood adds, “Carlos has been doing what I’ve been trying to do for the last fifty years, namely combining elements of rock, jazz, folk, and Latin Afro-Caribbean music.”
“Carlos’ genius comes in large part from a wonderful combination of rock music with Latin-Cuban rhythms,” Winwood adds. “I’ve played with Carlos on numerous occasions over the past fifty years and I’m very excited to be working with him again still.”
Blessings and Miracles will be released October 15. Santana has also released the Rob Thomas collaboration “Move” and the Diane Warren/G-Eazy collaboration “She’s Fire” from the album.
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