Artist: Cindy Blackman

Cindy Blackman Santana, sometimes known as Cindy Blackman, is an American jazz and rock drummer. Blackman has recorded several jazz albums as a bandleader and has performed with Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Simmons, Ron Carter, Sam Rivers, Cassandra Wilson, Angela Bofill, Buckethead, Bill Laswell, Lenny Kravitz, Joe Henderson and Joss Stone. 

When Blackman was 11, she moved to Bristol, Connecticut and studied at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut.  Blackman began to have an interest in jazz at age 13 after listening to Max Roach and got her first professional drum set at 14. 

Blackman moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music with Alan Dawson, who had also taught Tony Williams—an inspiration for Blackman.  While she was at Berklee a friend recommended her for a gig with The Drifters so Blackman left college after three semesters and moved to New York City in 1982. 

While in New York, Blackman worked as a performer  but also attended shows to listen to masters play. Art Blakey became a significant influence.  Blackman said, "He really was like a father to me. I learned a lot just watching him. I asked him a lot of questions about the drums and music – and he answered all of them." 

In 1987, Blackman's first compositions appeared on Wallace Roney's Verses  album. In 1988 Blackman released Arcane on Muse Records, her debut as a bandleader. Her band included Wallace Roney on trumpet, Kenny Garrett on  alto saxophone, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Buster Williams and  Clarence Seay on bass, and Larry Willis on piano. 

In 1993, Blackman had an opportunity to work with Lenny Kravitz. From New York, Blackman talked over the phone with Kravitz in Los Angeles, and played drums for him as he listened. Kravitz immediately asked Blackman to fly out to LA. She stayed for two weeks including shooting the video for "Are You Gonna Go My Way" She would go on to have an 18-year run as Kravitz's touring drummer.