Santana Talks Complimentary Covers Record

Santana is to release a guest strewn covers album later this year, it has been revealed.

Billboard reports that the Mexican guitar legend will stay true to his guest-heavy album output that has seen him sell more than 30 million albums in the past decade. The only difference this time is that he is to tackle other people’s music as well.

Among the songs to be included on the album are Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" with Rob Thomas, the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with India.Arie and Yo-Yo Ma, Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" with Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking " with Scott Weiland, Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son."

"We're not comparing or competing with those artists -- we're complementing them," Santana tells Billboard. "But when you hear this, you're gonna do 'Damn!' because it sounds so powerful, with vitality and vibrancy. Like Wayne Shorter says, it's completely new, tottally familiar."

No release date for the record as yet but Santana is rumoured to be lining up European dates for this summer.

In the meantime, he has recently released a Tenth Anniversary expanded edition of Supernatural, his career rejuvenating record that sold more than 20m copies in 1999-2000.

(Billboard)