Successful Sound Insures Santana's Survival

As it states in his bio, Carlos Santana has been reinventing and reshaping the landscape of the known universe's musical culture for close to four decades. One of the concepts employed by Carlos and Executive Producer Clive Davis is to create multi-ethnic, multi-genre collaborations that maximize cross-marketing opportunities.

For certain artist development acts this could be a way to accelerate awareness and rapidly build your fan base.

On Supernatural, Santana's special guests included Dave Matthews, Everlast, Rob Thomas, Lauryn Hill and Ceelo, Product G&B, Mana, Eagle Eye Cherry, and Eric Clapton.

For Shaman, Santana enlisted Musiq, Michelle Branch, Seal, Macy Gray, Melkie Jean and Governor Washington, P.O.D., Citizen Cope, Chad Kroeger (Nickelback), Dido, Alejandro Lerner, Ozomatli, and Placido Domingo.

Santana's newest release is All That I Am. (Some say it should be called All Things To All People.) Making appearances on 'Supernatural Vol. 3' are Steven Tyler, Mary J. Blige, Big Boi, Joss Stone, Sean Paul, Los Lonely Boys, Bo Bice, Will.I.Am, Anthony Hamilton, Kirk Hammett, Robert Randolph, and a return visit by Michelle Branch (and the Wreckers).

I'm generally not a fan of an all you can eat buffet approach to albums. However, in my neighborhood, the parking lots are always filled to capacity at these establishments, which tells me there are fans of this concept.

So, it's a music marketing strategy worth considering. Who are the local or regional stars in the zip codes you are targeting? Record duets, play at each other's gigs, exchange databases, link to one another on your web sites, and do best Value sales (selling one of your CDs packaged with one from your guest collaborator).

The Best of Santana ("Jingo," "Evil Ways," "Black Magic Woman," "Oye Como Va," etc.) now appears to have served as the appetizer, with Supernatural, Shaman, and All That I Am as the entree. For dessert I'd like to see Santana and:
Stevie Wonder
Tom Petty
Keith Urban
Willie Nelson
Norah Jones
U2/Bono
Green Day
Bob Dylan
Lionel Richie
Bob Seger

Clive, you can reach me at jerry@lemboentertainment.com or 201-840-9980. (Bands looking for new marketing strategies and innovative promotional ideas can reach me there as well.)