Carlos Santana is eager for his band to perform at August's Woodstock 50 anniversary festival "because we’re better than the first time."
Before taking that stage, Santana will release the album Africa Speaks. The 11-song collection, drawn from nearly 50 recent recordings, drops June 7th. Produced by Rick Rubin, who oversaw acclaimed late-career releases by Johnny Cash, Black Sabbath and Neil Diamond, it features Spanish vocalist Buika. Sanata calls her "a goddess, a shaman supreme like I am."
Carlos tells Billboard that he and Rubin bonded over their shared sense of spirituality. "He aspires for the same thing that I aspire. We want impeccable integrity, we love excellence, and we love genuine authenticity."
Santana is scheduled to play the fest in Watkins Glen, New York on August 16th, and take the stage that evening in nearby Darien Lake, New York.