Salvador Santana Band Announces Two Bay Area Gigs in Late April Just Prior to Their 22-Date European Tour Opening for Santana

Salvador Santana Band Announces Two Bay Area Gigs in Late April Just Prior to Their 22-Date European Tour Opening for Santana

Catch SSB April 21 at Berkeley's Blake's on Telegraph and April 23 at SF's Cafe Du Nord

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bay Area's own Salvador Santana Band (SSB) will play two choice local dates just prior to embarking on a month long tour of Europe as the opening act for the Santana Band's swing through the continent.

On Friday, April 21, SSB headlines Blake's on Telegraph in Berkeley (2367 Telegraph) with a 9PM show. The landmark club -- whose stellar reputation began decades ago as one of the Bay Area's top jazz/blues spots -- is now the East Bay's premiere destination for contemporary music. SSB jumps to San Francisco on Sunday, April 23 for an 8PM set at famed Cafe du Nord in the Upper Market district (2170 Market St.). One of the city's hippest live music venues, the club is located in the historic Swedish-American building. Both dates are prime opportunities to catch Salvador and crew warm up at intimate, home-base hotspots in anticipation of stadium and arena sized crowds in Europe.

That itinerary begins April 30 with a concert at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, when the SSB will max out their high-energy fusion of hip-hop, jazz, Latin, rock and blues for thousands of fans. They'll continue on tour as show opener for Carlos Santana and the Santana Band for a total of 22 dates. Countries on the schedule also include: Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the U.K. -- including May 12-13 at London's Wembley Arena -- France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

The 2006 tour marks the second time that SSB has been the support act for Santana's European dates -- they first did so in 2004. The experience of touring live is what Salvador loves most. "Being onstage is an incredible adrenaline rush," he says. "It's almost euphoric. I feel that my awareness is broadened, and it's where I can be my best."

SSB formed in 2004, and their spirited flow and deep grooves are alive with bandleader, keyboardist, vocalist and composer Salvador Santana's diverse musical influences. "There's a definite 21st century aspect to Salvador's music," Jon Matsumoto wrote in the San Jose Mercury News, acknowledging that echoes of Monk, Marley, Coltrane, Hendrix and more can also be heard in their contemporary sound. In addition to headlining their own shows and supporting Santana, SSB has also toured with Ozomatli and Los Lonely Boys, among others. The line-up also includes Emerson Cardenas (bass), Carla Holbrook (vocals), Matt Heulitt (guitar), Tony Austin (drums) and former Ozomatli player Jose "Crunchy" Espinosa (sax, flute, vocals).

Their five-song demo/debut EP, featuring three original cuts plus SSB reinventions of two Billy Cobham tracks, is available through www.salvadorsantana.com. In its review of the disc, CDBaby.com wrote, "This is the kind of hybrid that is so easy to drink up and soak in -- it goes down so smoothly. With a special talent for layering in the thick, luscious harmonies, this group's self-titled release is one to give a spin."

Salvador's soulful sound can also be heard on a track he wrote and performed with Carlos Santana for the compilation CD "Food For Thought," a benefit for the Milagro Foundation. Based in San Rafael and founded in 1998, Milagro has given more than $2 million to charities and agencies supporting children and youth in areas of health, education and the arts. Other projects include Salvador's collaboration with Carlos on stirring music for the audiobook version of his mother Deborah Santana's acclaimed memoir, "Space Between The Stars: My Journey To An Open Heart." Salvador also co-wrote the GRAMMY(R)-winning track "El Farol" from the phenomenally popular 1999 Santana album "Supernatural."

At the same time that Salvador Santana's creative spirit carries on the remarkable musical legacy of his grandfathers -- African-American tenor and guitar legend Saunders King and virtuoso mariachi violinist Jose Santana -- and his father, Carlos Santana, it is an innovative and evolving journey all his own. Currently, Salvador is developing material for a new album slated for release by early 2007, and he has been co-writing songs with Santana's Andy Vargas, Asdru Sierra of Ozomatli and members of B-Side Players, among others.

As Salvador recently said of his music in an interview with jambase.com, "I call it a new-blend. What I mean by that is ... I take the best of all that I've been exposed to." Check it out this month on the 21st at Blake's on Telegraph in Berkeley and SF's Cafe du Nord on April 23.

For more information, visit www.salvadorsantana.com

BAY AREA TOUR DATES:
Apr 21 Berkeley, CA - Blake's on Telegraph
Apr 23 San Francisco, CA - Cafe du Nord

EUROPEAN TOUR DATES:
Apr 30 Helsinki, Finland - Hartwall
May 2 Stockholm, Sweden - Globe
May 4 Horsens, Denmark - Forum
May 5 Hamburg, Germany - Colorline
May 6 Hannover, Germany - Tui Arena
May 8 Rotterdam, Netherlands - Ahoy
May 9 Antwerp, Belgium - Sportspalais
May 11 Manchester, UK - MEN Arena
May 12 London, England - Wembley Arena
May 13 London, England - Wembley Arena
May 15 Paris, France - Bercy
May 17 Berlin, Germany - Wuldheide
May 18 Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle
May 19 Stuttgart, Germany - Schleyerhalle
May 20 Fulda, Germany - Domplatz
May 22 Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
May 23 Cologne, Germany - Koln Arena
May 24 Oberhausen, Germany - Kopi Arena
May 26 Leipzig, Germany - Arena
May 27 Munich, Germany - Konigsplatz
May 28 Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
May 30 Asiago, Italy - Forum

Source: Salvador Santana Band

CONTACT: Susan Stewart, +1-530-823-5962, skstewart@hughes.net, for
Salvador Santana Band

Web site: http://www.salvadorsantana.com/

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