Cindy Blackman Santana: Coherence

Some musicians communicate their passion almost before they ever play a note, and drummer Cindy Blackman Santana is one of them. Whether performing jazz, rock, soul, or world music, she approaches each style with the conviction that music ultimately transcends categories. Coherence is possibly her clearest statement of that philosophy.

Blackman Santana's broad musical perspective comes naturally. She began busking on the streets of New York during the 1980s before quickly moving onto major stages, performing with jazz artists such as Freddie Hubbard and Pharoah Sanders as well as popular musicians like Lenny Kravitz and Carlos Santana, whom she married in 2010.

Blackman Santana's last solo album was the appropriately titled Give The Drummer Some (Copperline, 2020), a nod to James Brown. With Coherence, Brown's influence is evident in much of the album, particularly in the song structures, many of which feature a driving static harmony. 

Blackman Santana is joined by an outstanding ensemble that includes guitarist Aurelien Budynek , bassist Felix Pastorius, saxophonist Emilio Modeste, and keyboardist Zaccai Curtis. Guests include Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, Matt Garrison, Ray Angry, Dave Eggar , Alonso Broz, and an introductory appearance by Snoop Dogg on "The Message Is Love."

The album's title suggests unity, which is at the core of Blackman Santana's philosophy. As she describes it, "Coherence is about everything in creation coming together." The music reflects that philosophy, breaking down barriers, whether musical, political, or spiritual. As a result, the music is not always genre-specific. She effectively blends jazz and rock with other styles as well. For Blackman Santana, music transcends barriers and directs our attention to something more universal.

The opening track, "Illumination," effectively encapsulates her approach with a driving jazz-funk rhythm laying the foundation for jazz improvisation. Compositions such as "Blue Whale" and "The Message Is Love" follow suit, adopting a modal approach that favors static harmony over constantly shifting chord changes, giving way to an equally satisfying minimalist approach.

While much of the album concentrates on strong grooves, there are exceptions. "Coherence Tapestry" and "The Coherence Embrace" both include Blackman Santana's poetry spoken over a melodic electric piano in the background. Both of these pieces lead into songs that highlight core themes of the project. "Tapestry" is followed by "Coherence," a powerful instrumental featuring Carlos Santana on guitar. "Embrace" leads directly into "Peace Please," a mid-tempo piece that steadily builds emotional tension. 

Carlos Santana joins longtime friend John McLaughlin on "Guitar Love," arguably the album's strongest fusion performance. Both guitarists are in peak form. Elsewhere, Santana contributes to several tracks, including "Psychedelic Movie House," which ventures into avant-garde territory. Yet the album refuses to settle into any one musical language.

Even though most of the album blends genres, some songs still highlight certain styles. The song "Music," for example, is the most straight-ahead jazz offering, with some superb solos by Curtis, Modeste, and Budynek. "Sunday," on the other hand, has a driving blues feel with a reverb-drenched wah-wah guitar that appears to be conjuring the spirit of Jimi Hendrix.   

Coherence rewards repeated listening. What initially sounds like an eclectic mix of styles gradually reveals itself as a remarkably unified statement. By the album's end, Blackman Santana has demonstrated that jazz, rock, funk, and world music are less separate traditions than different expressions of the same creative impulse.