Except for a two-year hiatus at the end of the ‘80s, Raul Rekow has been an integral part of the Santana Band since 1976. Joining their ranks was a dream come true for the San Francisco native who, as a teenager, first witnessed Carlos and company onstage at the Cow Palace, appearing second to last on a mammoth bill of twenty acts. The life-changing experience inspired Raul to take up congas, and he soon began playing with Soul Sacrifice, a popular late ‘60s/early ‘70s Bay Area club band specializing in Santana covers. That led to his joining Malo, the Latin funk-rock outfit -- featuring Carlos’ brother Jorge Santana on guitar—that had a huge crossover hit in 1972 with “Suavecito.” A stint with Sapo, another Latin fusion act followed, and then came the call from the Santana office, asking Raul to jam with Carlos and Tom Coster. Soon after, Carlos ...(more)