Three latest songs will be attributed on the Santana demonstration "Ultimate Santana," appropriate Oct. 16 through Arista. They include a Shakira/Lil Wayne collaboration that has yet to be named, an "infectious" rocker penned by and featuring Nickelback's Chad Kroeger titled "Into the Night" and a new version of the 2002 Michelle Branch-featuring hit "The Game of Love" with vocals from Tina Turner.
"We got a Grammy with Michelle, and Michelle brought her own spirit and her own innocence and purity," Santana tells Billboard, adding that Turner was the original intended guest on the cut, but that label politics got in the way. "However, when you hear these notes that Tina hits, every hair on your body stands up." As for "Into the Night," Santana says it has that "kind of chant in a coliseum when your team is ahead, like 'We Will Rock You.' I am very grateful that Chad has shared it with me." Next up on Santana's agenda is a double-disc set tentatively titled "Multi-Dimensional Warrior," which will be out next spring. Says the artist, "I took like six or seven CDs from the past that I felt never really got heard in between 'Abraxas' and 'Supernatural' and I complied this flow of songs." Santana has recorded some new guitar parts for the effort, which he describes as "a love letter to the fans."
Also in the works is a potential collaboration with producer Bill Laswell dubbed "Free Will" and music Santana has earmarked for use in conjunction with the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. "I'm writing music that will hopefully put us center stage with our African brothers there," he says.