Aims Community College will present a tribute to the music of Santana, featuring live music, dance, a multimedia presentation of student artwork, audio engineering and film production. Content will be in both English and Spanish.
This free event is happening at the Aims Welcome Center, 4901 W. 20th St., on the Greeley Campus on Wednesday, Apr. 10, at 7 p.m.
Santana, under the direction of famed guitarist Carlos Santana, has established an enduring music legacy that embraces various genres, including rock, jazz, blues, salsa and African rhythms, captivating audiences across the globe for over half a century.
Aims Professor of Music Rick Busson is organizing this event as an opportunity to use music to bring people from different generations and multiple ethnicities together. Aims music faculty and students are part of the band. The Aims Communication Media department is assisting with video and audio production.
Busson will play guitar at the concert. He has been a fan of Carlos Santana for multiple decades. “I love his music,” he says. “I’ve always thought he was one of the most distinctive guitar players. You can just recognize his playing style, even if you’re not a musician.”
Bursting onto the scene with their transformative Woodstock performance in 1969 and dominating the charts with hits like “Evil Ways” and “Black Magic Woman,” Santana became a sensation for the jam band generation. The band’s resiliency is demonstrated by their 1990s rejuvenation with the multi-Grammy-winning “Supernatural,” a cross-genre album that introduced a younger audience to their unique and passionate soundscapes. Santana had hit songs into the 21st century, including “Game of Love,” a collaboration with singer Michelle Branch. Busson hopes this event will introduce more young people to Santana’s music.
Aims music student Leila Hernandez is from that younger generation and will be singing lead vocals on a few of the songs in the show. Hernandez is excited, as this is her first opportunity to sing in front of a large audience. She appreciates how the Spanish origins in the music resonate with her cultural identity. “Some of my family is going to join us, and for them to understand the words of some of the songs is really cool and very important,” she says.
“I believe that music is a universal language, and it brings people together, especially, you know, in the darkest time. It’s definitely something that I’m proud to be a part of.” Hernandez says.
In addition to the music at the event, the transcultural fusion dance group Troupe Sidysaan will perform a few songs in a Mexican skirt dance style. One of the group’s founders, Sandy Myers, is an Aims physical education instructor who teaches yoga and Pilates. “Dancing with live music is such a game changer,” Myers says. “There’s always that we don’t quite know what’s going to happen at any given moment, and that makes it super exciting.”
Santana Tribute: Know Before You Go
Admission is free. Tickets or registration are not required for this event. If you would like to make a voluntary donation to support Aims students, the event will raise funds for Arty’s Pantry. This campus-wide pantry provides students with food, personal hygiene products, school supplies and more.
There is a clear bag policy in place for this event. Please make sure your bag meets our clear bag policy guidelines. If it does not, Aims security will ask you to return it to your vehicle. Aims is not responsible for lost or stolen items; you cannot leave your personal belongings at the doors or with staff.
Call 970.339.6388 to request accommodations for this event. For more information about this or other events at Aims Community College, visit events.aims.edu.
