Here Comes Santana 4

The original members of Santana are back together. This April 15th you'll get to hear it on Santana 4. Original drummer Michael Schrieve talks about the moments within the studio and his reaction when the music was played back. Original Santana drummer Michael Schrieve is very excited about what the reconstituted early lineup of the band has accomplished on the upcoming Santana 4. The album's April 15th release was announced last Friday. He shares his thoughts on it. Original Santana drummer Michael Shrieve on the new album by the early Santana lineup “I can’t say enough about it. It really sounds great. I think people who like that band – that’s why it’s being called Santana 4, because it really picks up from where we left. And it doesn’t sound tired, it sound invigorating and fresh. And it’s really exciting.” Original Santana members Shrieve, Greg Rolie, Michael Carrabello and, of course, Carlos Santana, are on the album, along with early addition Neal Schon and current Santana members Karl Perazzo and Benny Rietveld. Shrieve tells what recording with this group was like. Michael Shrieve on making Santana 4. “At first it was really like putting on a pair of old jeans. We went through so much music and we got together about three times, but all and all it was pretty quick. And so we did do a whole bunch of music and then we decided what we wanted to make into songs and present. But it sounds real fresh. I keep listening to it and I don’t get tired of it.” Shrieve says Santana 4 is one of three new albums he'll be playing on this year. His Seattle-based quintet Michael Shrieve's Spellbinder will also release an album, as will Drums of Compassion, a project that features him performing with legendary jazz drummers Jack DeJohnette, Zakir Hussain and Airto Moriera plus keyboardist Jeff Greinke.