LOS ANGELES, CA – October 6, 2026 – World-renowned drummer and bandleader Cindy Blackman Santana will hit the road in October with her wildly popular and vibrant ensemble, the Cindy Blackman Santana Band, for a series of East Coast concert dates set for New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York City, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
At each show, Blackman Santana promises “a night of musical journeys, energy, emotion and fun,” as she and her virtuoso group of players – guitarist Aurélien Budynek, bassist Jeremiah Kal’Ab, keyboardist Zaccai Curtis, and saxophonist JD Allen – fire up an explosive mix of jazz, rock and fusion driven by her own inimitable drumming style.
For Blackman Santana, the opportunity to perform with this celebrated group of musicians is one she’s been waiting for. As she points out, “We’ve all played together, though not yet as a unit. Jeremiah and Aurélien make up a great core rhythm section as they both listen to everything being played while offering support and musical embellishments. Zaccai is wonderful because he knows how to color and excite the music, and JD is a very expressive and thoughtful player who builds with intensity while allowing the music to flow and breathe.
“It’s always exciting to work with musicians of this caliber,” she continues. “As a drummer, this particular combination of talents offers me a great palette to create and move the music.”
Among the songs Blackman Santana and her band will perform are fan favorites such as “Curiosity” and “The One,” along with select arrangements of Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter compositions, plus high-energy material from her forthcoming album. Of course, the drummer says audiences can expect the unexpected. “I arrange the set based on energy, flow, and dynamics,” she says. “We rehearse for structure, feel, and general arrangements. The rest we save for the bandstand conversations!”
Recently, Blackman Santana teamed with Snoop Dogg and Chris Stapleton for a fiery reimagining of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” (yes, she crushes that iconic drum fill), which serves as the official anthem for ESPN’s Monday Night Football. In addition, she’s maintained a robust touring schedule with Santana, including the long-running
An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live residency at House of Blues Las Vegas, as well as a highly successful European summer tour that drew sold-out crowds across the continent.
Fans who have been eagerly awaiting new music from Blackman Santana will be richly rewarded in the spring of 2026 when she releases Coherence. Recorded with a core band comprised of Aurélien Budynek, Zaccai Curtis, saxophonist Emilio Modeste, and bassist Felix Pastorius, who play on the bulk of the album, Coherence will feature guests Dave Eggar (cello and piano) and Ray Angry (keyboards), as well as special guests Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, and bass virtuoso Matt Garrison.
“Everyone plays with great passion, excitement, and musicality,” Blackman Santana enthuses. “This is going to be a record that stretches, surprises, and touches on some new territory. We’ve added strings, which I’ve wanted to do for quite some time. I can’t wait for all of my fans to hear Coherence!”
Cindy Blackman Santana Band East Coast October 2025 Tour Dates:
October 18 – South Orange, NJ – South Orange Performing Arts Center
October 19 – Portsmouth, NH – Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club
October 20 – New York, NY – City Winery
October 23 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
October 24 – Baltimore, MD – Keystone Korner
October 25 – Baltimore, MD – Keystone Korner
For tickets and updates, visit: cindyblackmansantana.com.
About Cindy Blackman Santana
Cindy Blackman Santana is a virtuoso drummer whose artistry spans the realms of jazz and rock. As a bandleader, musician and solo artist, Cindy is a sound innovator with a passion for pushing creative boundaries and exploring movement and change. She is as known for the nuances and colors she brings to her beats and fills as she is for the sheer power of her soulful playing. From the beginning of her career as a busking street performer in New York City in the ’80s through the present day, Cindy has been touring the globe and making albums with artists including Pharoah Sanders, Cassandra Wilson, Bill Laswell, Joss Stone, Joe Henderson, Buckethead, Don Pullen, Hugh Masakela and Angela Bofill. In 2011 she joined forces with Vernon Reid, Jack Bruce and John Medeski to form the critically acclaimed Spectrum Road, which released an album and tour dedicated to the music of Tony Williams. For periods between 1992 and 2015, she was the drummer in Lenny Kravitz’s band, performing through multiple world tours and hit albums. In 2016, Cindy joined Santana full-time and has been mesmerizing audiences worldwide ever since. Her drumming can be heard on multiple Santana albums, including Power of Peace with the Isley Brothers (2017), the EP In Search of Mona Lisa (2019), Africa Speaks (2019), Blessings and Miracles (2021) and Sentient (2025). Her solo album Give the Drummer Some (2020) and subsequent touring with the Cindy Blackman Santana Band highlighted songs that spanned the realm of jazz, rock and funk and showcased Cindy’s incredible versatility both behind the kit and in front of the microphone.