Carlos Santana's Role In Latin American Music

The Latin American composer, I choose to write about is Carlos Santana. Carlos Augusto Alyes Santana, was born on July 20,1947 in Autlan de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico. At age five he learned to play the violin from his father, Jose Santana, who is a professional mariachi violinist. But Carlos Santana switched to guitar when he was eight years old, when his family moved to Tijuana, Mexico. When Santana was approaching his teenage years in the late fifties, he was playing shows with different bands around the Tijuana strip in clubs and bars. In 1961, he moved to the United States (San Francisco, California). At age 14, he started James Lick Middle School, and in 1965 he graduated from Mission High School. After High School Carlos Santana was accepted into California State University, Northridge, and Humboldt State University. But Carlos Santana did not chose not to attend college he wanted to focus on his music. In 1966, he made his unveiling with his new formed group the Santana Blues Band. Two years later in 1968, Carlos Santana played at the famous Fillmore West in San Francisco.

Carlos Santana is the original icon of Latin American music, producing sounds of Rock N Roll and Salsa. Into both an artistic and in marketable music making ways. Carlos Santana has an astonishing lead guitar sound that has became his trademark over the years. Because of him Latin and American guitar players has someone to look up to and learn from. Also, Carlos Santana, importance in both the Latin America and internationally is that they started a new Latin based rock sound featuring a Cuban beat. This mans concept of music was years ahead of its time. An it would take several years for other group to catch up with his style. Then a couple years later Carlos Santana changed his sound to a Latin American sound with a Jazz like