If our history can challenge the next wave of musicians to keep moving and changing, to keep spiritually hungry and horny, that's what it's all about.
Carlos SantanaRead
You can take things that Jimi Hendrix took, from Curtis Mayfield or from Buddy Guy for example, because we are all children of everything, even Picasso. But if you want to stand out, you have to learn to crystallize your existence and create your own fingerprints.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of individuality and originality in artistic expression while recognizing the influence of predecessors.
Carlos Santana's quote speaks to the idea that while artists draw inspiration from those who came before them, true distinction comes from learning to shape one's own identity and create something unique. It highlights the balance between being influenced by the masters and the necessity of developing a personal style that leaves a lasting impression.
Themes
OriginalityCreativityInfluenceIndividualityArtistic Expression
In practice
Example use cases
An artist might use this quote during a talk about finding one's own voice in art.
More from Carlos Santana
All quotes →My dad's a beautiful man, but like a lot of Mexican men, or men in general, a lot of men have a problem with the balance of masculinity and femininity - intuition and compassion and tenderness - and get overboard with the macho thing. It took him a while to become more, I would say, conscious, evolved.
Carlos SantanaRead
I grew up in the sixties watching B.B. King and Tito Puente and Miles Davis and Coltrane, everybody, Marvin Gaye, Jimi. And at the same time, with my left eye I was watching Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Mother Teresa.
Carlos SantanaRead
First of all, the music that people call Latin or Spanish is really African. So Black people need to get the credit for that.
Carlos SantanaRead
Ever since I was a child I've always been very attracted to melodies. Whether I hear Jeff Beck, a choir, an ocean or the wind, there's always a melody in there.
Carlos SantanaRead
I realised a long time ago that instrumental music speaks a lot more clearly than English, Spanish, Yiddish, Swahili, any other language. Pure melody goes outside time.
Carlos SantanaRead
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