Cindy Blackman Santana - Tour Kit Rundown

[@MirkkoDeMaio]

Oh man, I love everything about Cindy, her playing, her versatility (she plays rock and jazz equally at the highest level!), her drums, her cymbals, her sound! Thank you MD for this kit rundown!

[@stevewilcock4767]

Cindy is a legend. Thank you MD.

[@davidperez5089]

@@stevewilcock4767 not exactly.

[@VON_RHEDBEARD]

Cindy is so confident not only in how she plays but in her knowledge of her kit and the different components.

[@michaelgreen5206]

Cindy is a GOAT drummer, equally adept at playing Rock & Jazz genres, & plays with fire & passion!!! Love you & your husband Carlos! Happy New Year.

[@AN-te4ij]

Man, she is one heck of a drummer. Solid. And she really stands out in such a large band. Fantastic!

[@bruceburkhart1650]

I can't thumbs up this enough! Thank you both MD and Cindy Blackman-Santana. What a treat for us!

[@85ddrummer]

That snare is an absolute monster

[@321CatDaddy]

Great interview with one of the best drummers out there! THIS is Modern Drummer at its finest. Blackman - Santana is still playing with power and explosiveness, she puts all of herself in her music. And it's been awhile since I've hear the term " sock cymbals"

[@intradibles]

We could have had this rig tour with Tony Williams had he lived today, but even with Cindy, we're still honoring Tony's memory here.

[@geraldmellon740]

She is amazing such conviction and power. She gets better and better.

[@tyroneharris6907]

That's a Tony Williams drum set! I love it!

[@mpcvore]

Great kit, average drummer ...!

[@el.aye.bee.4477]

@@mpcvore Who's an average drummer, in your opinion, Tony Williams? Or Cindy Blackman?

[@mpcvore]

@@el.aye.bee.4477 Cindy, of course ....

[@ronniek7748]

@@mpcvore so what gig do you have?

[@mpcvore]

@@ronniek7748 I don't understand your question.

[@drumsNstuff79]

I've read Carlos book. Funny how life works out. He simultaneously falls in loves with her drumming and with her! Beautiful harmony in music and in life. They make such a great couple and seeing them together on stage is a treat. She was playing with him when Dennis Chambers had his horrible health scare and Carlos sadly lost his legendary long, long time conga player Raul Rekow to cancer, and she keeps the band sounding fresh. I know her as the badass longtime drummer with Lenny Kravitz, so she was already cool with me for sure. I just love the energy and excitement she brings to very show she plays! Carlos jokes that Dennis Chambers had told him to check her out when he had decided to move on from the Santana gig and when he saw her play with Lenny "I was unimpressed.. This is the great drummer he wanted me to see?" But he was watching her just play in the pocket and keep good time on the Lenny Kravitz gig. Great playing but nothing flashy.. He then got to see her again play jazz and said "Wow! Okay! So this is what Dennis was saying! I see it now! She is amazing! I need to meet her!" He offered her the gig in his band and shortly after her hand in marriage. "There was something about the way she looked walking into rehearsal one day.." How about that?

[@MBdrummer3288]

What a beast of a drummer! And that kit sounds AMAZING!

[@patrickr.452]

I saw Cindy with Lenny Kravitz back in the 90s. She absolutely crushed it....fantastic drummer.

[@el.aye.bee.4477]

That was when I first fell in love with her.

[@wilkinsnl]

Solid shell Gretsch, yeow!!

[@fleatactical7390]

IKR! I wish they would have spent more time talking about that.

[@fnv-w3n]

@@fleatactical7390 This. Can't believe he didn't ask about that. I mean, it's only Modern Drummer. He rambled on about the side snare...

[@fleatactical7390]

@@fnv-w3n I find these videos are often lacking in detail, but it's understandable. Probably less than optimal amounts of time to get into the heavy gear talk. But yeah, about that side snare... LOL

[@philipnestor5034]

Same bass drum and Tom sizes as Tony Williams her idol. Great Player.

[@davidperez5089]

Gotta be over 20k just the tubs alone!!...

[@tinikadavis6931]

I bought your signature sticks in college. Carried that around like it was gold

[@philwelch9218]

Gretsch should make Cindy’s kit available for purchase! I would definitely purchase one!

[@Mattshank-uo6jl]

Cool to see Cindy walk through that amazing kit. Those hoops are beafy as s**t!

[@flush287]

Glad to hear a drummer that knows what they are playing.

[@user-om2zi3qc5h]

Very, very lovely and cool explaining and conversation! Thank you very drumming much!!! Best drumming regards from bavaria in southgermany Ludwig

[@markbryant8321]

Beautiful kit

[@davieslocker86]

Truly gorgeous shells

[@stevecurtis-go8kk]

Beautiful wood grain and finish!!

[@mattbennett9467]

Cindy has real style. Everything she does is well thought out and delivered with passion and total commitment. She is an object lesson in how to stand out from the crowd. Now if I could just find out where she hides that fountain of youth she drinks from every day...

[@thejohnnydavidson]

I just love Cindy's drumming and her conviction behind the kit makes people move! That kit has to weigh a friggin ton! haha Sounds amazing. Another great Tour, David!

[@simonbroke-smith7783]

It’s a long time since I heard the description “sock cymbals”! 🤘😎🥁👍

[@martijnvaassen]

Cindy is awesome!!

[@DWH072]

Love Cindy 🥁👍

[@guillermojimenezcastelblan8456]

Stunning kit, it`s a master crafted and finished one as well, and it caught my attention the rack tom configuration, very classic and the using of Black dot heads as resonant ones, among those Istambul turkish cymbal set up, pretty enough to up at her signature sound and style from the 90`s jamming with Lenny Kravitz.

[@sephoraMbungu]

❤❤❤❤ drum kit sound good and even snare drum 🎉🎉

[@jemmace2586]

She is on it!! What a set up, absolutely perfect, the solid shell kit by Gretsch and that LP snare drum!! Wow I have a snare with a similar marching style batter hoop which is 10 lug, what's her's here 12 or 14!?? Wow that thing really will get everyone's attention!! And the shell as well, brass just adds to the whole combination of engineering. I'll never let my Premier Signia Maple snare go because of the similarities it has with the snare this lady is using here, there's definitely something in using the marching style batter hoop, mine absolutely grabs your attention, cross stick is so defined and wood sounding and rim shots are huuuge! The sound coming from the 5mm ply maple shell with re-rings as well, really, really sweet. Seeing this video only reassures the fact that Premier did and do make great drums. Great video of a great drummer, thanks for the post!!

[@danielegruppioni1029]

Bel Set. Grande batteria la Gretsch 👏👋💯

[@keithpratt1849]

That deep snare is articulate. Beautiful looking and sounding kit. As expected from Gretsch.

[@twincrows3362]

The snare is not Gretsch, it's Latin Percussion.

[@JarrodJohnson-py2ks]

@@twincrows3362Yeah , that was established

[@Stevedrums741]

the kit's setup looks very Tony Williams influenced.

[@genericsomething]

She has a yellow one that looks almost exactly like Tony's.

[@jonnykk1]

Yes those three floor toms in that arrangement… classic Tony. Love how his legacy lives through players like her today. Great stuff

[@norbertrenner9364]

except of the colour...

[@PrinceAsmodeus]

She would agree.

[@hermanmelville3871]

She’s pretty much a Tony clone so it makes sense.

[@jcdrums2798]

thanks so lot for that, is always more interesting drummers talking gear

[@drummaman1]

She is such a fantastic player, and her ear knows cymbals! When she was with Zildjian, she helped design the K 22” Dark Medium Ride, it is still one of the most popular rides in the Zildjian catalog!

[@armusic5720]

Wow didnt know that ! I have the 22 K dark medium ride and It s just an incredible all arounder. You can get almost any kind of textures depending stick and technique used.

[@jimelsey2381]

A beautiful lady with a beautiful kit x

[@shawnhapney8784]

That's one bad ass kit to match one bad ass drummer.

[@jrbowens]

And did anyone notice the Roland Triggers on all the drums?! Those really bring out that great Gretsch Sound! :-)

[@jaymeramirez7435]

She’s so damn beautiful. And always has the greatest gear and of course is one of the greatest to ever do it.

[@DrummerBoy233]

That snare drum has me drooling.

[@genericsomething]

I like the way she hits those drums like they owe her money.

[@fleatactical7390]

LOL she's struggling with it! Fighting the kit!

[@vicenteperellobateria]

Cindy the best

[@revolutionday1]

She is still in my Top 5 all-time greatest drum solos I have witnessed performed live and in-person, when she was touring with Lenny Kravitz.

[@Camcodrummer]

That is a bad azz kick!

[@PowerTom_kyle]

Thank you Cynthia for including both diameter and Depth. Most drummers, including MD just leave it out.

[@JCordoba1001]

Istanbul is growing on me!

[@musiqsoundsproductions]

I want Craviotto Gretsch kits too!!!!

[@radi6663]

woooooooooowwww

[@michaellucas3802]

Cindy Blackman’s a trailblazer.

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

The Gretsch website says Cindy's kits are maple, but I don't know if this one is as well...

[@fleatactical7390]

Sounds like it is. Warm sound. Definitely not birch or oak. And since it's solid shell, there's no mix of plies to color or shape the sound.

[@raymaynard4364]

I like this ladies foot Work. She got her own style she would be great to jam with as old Congo player I just love her style. Am I right

[@MsRiccig]

she so tony luv her

[@LNZROCKS]

❤️Cindy Rocks!!!🥁🔥🔥🔥⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@hiromihonda9424]

Cindy never stated the wood of the drums! Solid shell custom made by Gretsch but what kind of wood?

[@karapetiansdrumschool.667]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@hamilstarr4292]

Woh is that a craviotto/gretsch kit? If so that’s amazing

[@memitonajera1561]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@JohnStonebraker]

Wanted to hear those cymbals :(

[@davelombardo1961]

What a beautiful solid shell kit with direct to shell tom mounts and re-rings. Gretsch should make this Cindy’s signature kit to go with her signature cymbals and sticks so we can buy one. 😊

[@marcusdiscartin9167]

That LP Banda snare has 12 lugs. Gnarly!

[@esaireyna899]

Former Linkin Park drummer Rob Bourdon used Gretsch drums and Vater drumsticks also for cymbal he used zildijan and the heads idk if he used Evans or Remo

[@dwrdrums]

Appreciate you , we meet one day homie 🤘🏾

[@gadymarcus2362]

Bella/Linda.🙏✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️✡️👑

[@jamestaylor-mdh-39]

So when will Agop release that 18" Mantra to us normal folk? :)

[@julianandreaswiggins5756]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@dashriprock5720]

is she mixing which dimension comes first on the drums? It doesn't seem clear.

[@ZachBratland]

🔥🥁

[@markbryant8321]

I use Agop 🎉

[@tyroneharris6907]

Her style is unique also.

[@carbonc6065]

Unique ... T.W.

[@mexicanmaggot666]

Cindy Blackman is a LEGEND. One of the greatest female drummers of all time.

[@wedranpuco84]

❤

[@drumdiscussion7776]

Gretsch drums with reinforcement rings?

[@fess04]

f yeah!!!!! :)

[@SalMichael]

Kiddo is the Best!

[@scottyahney8565]

Carlos is a lucky man !!!!!

[@nicholasbalette6354]

I like custom made shells.

[@J1mbo888]

Porter and Davies Throne. Should be compulsory for all drummers 🙂

[@AndreasHalvardsson]

Awesome!

[@themikefasano]

Woah! Craviotto/GreTsch hybrid perhaps?

[@roybeckerman9253]

I wonder what Gretsch snare, would be the closest to the main one she’s using here..

[@totigerus]

Wait,,,so can anyone just order a new Gretsch kit with the old stop sign badges?

[@hiromihonda9424]

Cindy is very influenced by the great Tony Williams. Her kit is nearly identical to William's famous yellow Gretsch kit that he played later in his career/life.

[@keithpratt1849]

Cool. Cindy is definitely top tier.

[@coreyw5981]

Didn't know she did Mantra line too. I wonder why she don't have any OMs on this kit

[@fleatactical7390]

No idea about either line, but maybe one line has more projection? Maybe too much for the venue? Or for the music? Or conversely, maybe the line doesn't have enough punch? I used to have a few models from this brand back in the day. I should see what they're up to now.

[@coreyw5981]

@fleatactical7390 the OM is definitely a darker drier line

[@fleatactical7390]

@@coreyw5981 Ahhh OK. If it's a solid shell kit, then it's likely louder with more projection, so the OMs may not keep up.

[@Monsterdrumma]

Those are marching hoops on that snare.

[@William29274]

What wood is the kit made of ?

[@fleatactical7390]

My guess is maple based on its warmness and depth.

[@tcr4451]

I have no doubts that Cindy Blackman could play total circles around me. But why does it always look like she's fighting the kit? It looks like very hard work.

[@mehmet_tezcan]

I wish she played her cymbals a little bit too... Wonder how these sound...

[@genechavez661]

Dennis Chambers miss him as the Drummer

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

The queen 💖🔥🔥🔥 ...and a 14x8.5 copper snare with 12 lug die cast hoops??? I need one of those 🥰

[@Anatolii_Levochkin]

Those are NOT DIE CAST HOOPS on a snare. Those are machined.

[@plutopowered1116]

Higher tuning on pretty much all the drums.

[@PaulMarangoni]

24" diameter, not circumference... 😁

[@davidsuprenant893]

I bet there craviotto shells.

[@robertdobbins5333]

That's a very expensive kit.

[@drumtwo4seven]

💤😴

[@Drumguy48]

Too bad Frangione has to talk so much

[@joeblowe7545]

It should be Blackwoman. Maybe she doesn't identify traditionally?

[@trusoundlowvolumedrumheads1002]

I saw her once at a drum clinic with mike portnoy and some others she sat on a simple 5 peice and blew everyone away.