Santana’s journey might well include Journey

By John Katsilometes

Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014 | 7:03 p.m.

Carlos Santana always plays it eight miles high, to quote a hit song from the psychedelic era.

“Every day is new for me, so whatever I have to say is not redundant or repetitious,” he says during an interview in what seems to be the office of an assistant manager at Barnes & Noble on North Rainbow and U.S. 95.

“Everything I do with my energy, regardless of the form, is about inspiring people. It’s about inspiring another human being to see an aerial view and the big picture.”

In a more specific sense, Santana is talking of his just-released autobiography, “The Universal Tone,” the reason for this appearance at the Las Vegas bookstore.

This book is compiled to take the reader on a trip, from Santana’s youth (his father was a domineering womanizer who favored the company of hookers) to his breakout performance at Woodstock (skyrocketing on a hit of mescaline provided by Jerry Garcia) and his worldwide fame (three consecutive platinum albums at the start of his career; the roaring comeback with “Supernatural” in 1999, which has sold 15 million copies).

Today, Santana is a Las Vegas resident and resident performer. On Wednesday, he returned to his home music hall, House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, for a stretch of performances through Nov. 18.

His recurring headlining run has been extended through the spring of 2015, with dates upcoming in January and May. Santana just wrapped a co-headlining tour with Rod Stewart, who also is back in Las Vegas for his shows at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace.

The shows at HOB are peppered with Santana classics stretched and reconfigured like musical Silly Putty. The show is an unbroken jam backed by video highlights and spiced by unexpected left turns. “The Way You Make Me Feel,” by Michael Jackson, is one such moment. At least it was in Saturday’s packed show.

“It’s interesting. You do need consistency, but you can improvise. For us, being musicians, you have to give yourself chills first,” Santana said. “The only thing that I ever rehearse or practice with the band is the intros because I want the perfect feel, groove and timing.”

Otherwise, a Santana show is a musical, spiritual and even physical workout. These musicians play almost ceaselessly, working to keep up with their 67-year-old frontman.

“I feel great, man,” Santana says. “I am healthy and grateful.”

Aside from this month’s shows, the imminent order of business for Santana is a return to Odds On Studio in Henderson to continue work on “Santana IV,” a follow-up to the first three albums by Santana’s original band. Work began on the CD in February, and it is due to be issued in April, hopefully.

Joining the sessions are guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist Gregg Rolie, drummer Michael Shrieve and percussionist Michael Carabello, all of them originals from “Santana,” “Abraxus” and “Santana III.”

Santana has placed the fourth album in the series, “Caravanserai,” in a different bin. “It wasn’t even like a Santana album,” he says. “It was like career suicide, and I like career suicide once in a while. It can open up a lot of possibilities.”

Such as a tour with members of his original and current bands and the latest lineup of Journey, which long featured Rolie and is still powered by Schon.

“I foresee traveling with three bands, the original Santana opening, then Journey, then this Santana,” he says. “In the end, we all play together, you know? It is time for me to open the possibilities of this type of show, especially on the weekend when you can start at 5 o’clock and just go.

“The thing about the relationship between the original Santana and Journey, it’s a family thing anyway.”

Santana, one of the last original hippies still standing, is still preaching love and peace.

“I am promoting something that I’d really, really love to see come back, and that’s love-ins,” he says. “That was the best part of the ’60s: love-ins. People would come with bright colors, they would be dancing and cooking and creating the great aroma — the whole thing was about love. People are too afraid to validate and celebrate love today, almost like love is something hokey.”

A child of Woodstock, Santana is without question one of a very few artists who appeared at that festival who would still be a highlight of any of today’s festivals. He would even be at home at the electric psychedelia of Electric Daisy Carnival.

Would he consider appearing at an EDC show?

“Absolutely. You know, I would love to be invited,” he says. “I think that all the festivals that we have right now, Bonnaroo, or the one we just had downtown here (Life Is Beautiful), we can just tell the promoters, ‘We’ll take over.’ ”

Santana has never lost the verve for his art, which was sparked in the late 1960s.

“Our energy is something we learned at the original Woodstock, you know,” he says. “Santana is about energy. It is not about show business. … I’m in Las Vegas, but don’t let that fool you. This is an alley cat, and I like to play.”

The musicians around him can learn from and appreciate the experience.

“I don’t mind where you put me. All I know is when we are done with our set, people will go, ‘Damn! How will we follow that?’ ” he says, grinning. “Very easily. Go to your heart and bring the power from your heart because that’s what we do.”

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.