Salvador Santana began playing piano at 5 under the tutelage of Marcia Miget. He studied at San Francisco’s acclaimed School of the Arts in the Band discipline, playing percussion and tympani, and played piano in the award-winning jazz band. Salvador spent 3 years at California Institute of the Arts College. In 2004 he established the Salvador Santana Band. Current members of the group are Emerson Cardenas (bass), Will Champlin (vocals, keyboards), Woody (guitar), Tony Austin (drums) and José Espinoza (sax, percussion, vocals). Salvador Santana prefers a fresh musical style which includes elements of hip hop and jazz. His musical roots are influenced by the Latin rock of Carlos Santana, his grandfathers, Saunders King and Jose Santana, as well as the music of John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, and Oscar Peterson.
The band is preparing to record a CD in January 2007. In April and May of 2006, they took part in Carlos Santana’s tour in Europe as the opening band in all 24 concerts and performed in clubs in the US.