New Wax Wednesday

When it comes to commenting on the music made by drumming powerhouse Cindy Blackman Santana, it is best to enhance the following most applicable statement with one final directive: Give the drummer some more. That revised phrase is backed up in full by the breadth and scope of the music to be found on her forthcoming new LP Coherence, which will be released on vinyl on July 31, 2026, via Mack Avenue.

Get a taste of Coherence by checking out the official videoclip for the mind-blowing lead track “Illumination” below.

Discussing the cutting of this particular track, Blackman Santana said, “It was actually our first time ever playing ‘Illumination.’ To me, it brings a lot of freshness and energy. I hope you feel the cohesiveness of how we interact together. The title is about bringing brightness to the forefront of people’s minds and hearts. The coming together of the musicians represents the coming together of all people.”

Having heard the entirety of all 11 cuts that comprise the Coherence LP — as well as all seven of the tracks that (for now) are earmarked only for the album’s further-expanded digital and CD editions — it’s clear Blackman Santana has taken the next step beyond what’s found on her most excellent 180g 2LP set on Copperline from 2020, Give the Drummer Some. (Now you get why I added the word more into the phraseology mix at the outset of this post.) While I cannot yet rate the Sound of the new LP itself until I get it in hand and in ear, I can unabashedly give the Music of Coherence an early 9.5 (and that may even go up after I get to spin the LP).

I recently conducted a Zoom interview with Blackman Santana for one of my upcoming “Sound Chaser” columns for our sister site Stereophile, and she was quite forthcoming about her enthusiasm for vinyl. “I’ve always loved getting records,” she told me. “You just open up the thing if it’s a gatefold, and then you have all these pictures on two big pages to look at. If you’re lucky, you also have a big booklet that has so much information to read. To me, that’s just so exciting, you know?” (Testify!)

Incidentally, the title track, “Coherence,” actually made its initial appearance as Track 3 on Side 2 of March 2025’s Sentient (Candid), the most recent full-length studio effort from her spouse and musical partner, Carlos Santana. “He’s my equal half,” Cindy confirmed for me — and it’s not hard to see, and hear, why.

Some important stats now. Coherence was recorded in late 2024 at The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with Blackman Santana’s longtime touring band in tow — namely, saxophonist Emilio Modeste, guitarist Aurelien Budynek, keyboardist Zaccai Curtis, and bassist Felix Pastorius. Additional guest musicians on the LP include guitarist/life partner Carlos Santana, guitar guru John McLaughlin, keyboardist Ray Angry, bassist Matt Garison, and strings courtesy Dave Eggar.

Coherence sports a quite reasonable SRP of $26.99, and you can preorder it here on Music Direct, and/or via the MD link graphic below ahead of the tracklisting section. If you want the CD with the seven bonus tracks that are not on the LP, you can find it here for $17.99 at the official Santana site store. Note that there is one track, “Alkebulan” (Side 2, Track 3), that only appears on the LP and is not intended for digital release. Also at the Santana site store, you can order the Coherence LP/CD bundle for $39.99, which also includes a signed print. (No guesses as to which option I went with.)

One more Coherence clip for you to check out now — “The Message Is Love,” which feeds the funk jones quite handily, replete with a special spoken intro from Snoop Dogg and signature guitar work from Carlos Santana.

Blackman Santana said that “The Message Is Love” is “about evoking that feeling. The greatest thing you can feel is the energy, appreciation, and the act of just love for love’s sake. Not for any agenda — just because it’s beautiful, and that’s what the creator is: complete love. Love for love’s sake; no other reason. That’s where the title came from, and where the energy of the song comes from.”

Incidentally, Snoop Dogg’s appearance on “The Message Is Love” marks a reunion with Blackman Santana. It follows their collaboration with Chris Stapleton on ESPN’s current Monday Night Football anthem that first debuted in 2023: a powerhouse reimagining of Phil Collins’ 1981 slow-build masterpiece, “In the Air Tonight,” which sports Stapleton on lead vocals and guitar, Snoop on the flow during the break, and Blackman Santana totally tearing it up on the kit — and absolutely nailing the song’s iconic percussive payoff. (The “Air” theme will continue to open MNF when the 2026 NFL season kicks off this fall.)

In support of Coherence, Blackman Santana will perform at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park on July 24, 2026, before continuing touring as the drummer with Santana on this summer’s Santana & The Doobie Brothers Oneness Tour. Following that run are additional performances at Detroit Jazz Festival on September 7, 2026; Keystone Korner in Baltimore on October 24 and 25, 2026; and multiple upcoming dates later this year with Santana’s Las Vegas residency.

Concludes Blackman Santana, “Coherence is about everything in creation coming together. We come from the creator. In these times, we need unity. We need to understand that we are not different. The core of every single human being is light.”

Lifeforce energy, thy name is Coherence.

CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA
COHERENCE
1LP (Mack Avenue)

Side 1
1. Illumination
2. The Message Is Love (With Carlos Santana)
3. Coherence Tapestry
4. Coherence (With Carlos Santana)
5. Coherence Embrace
6. SyZyGy
7. Psychedelic Movie House (With Carlos Santana)

Side 2
1. Guitar Love (With John McLaughlin & Carlos Santana)
2. Capri (With Carlos Santana)
3. Alkebulan
4. Sanctuary (With Carlos Santana)