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May 21, 2009

Santana singer in tune with students

By Amanda McGregor

SALEM — Freshman Jabari Tovar said he and his fellow bandmates in the Salem High jazz band experienced the "voice of an angel" while playing for the former lead singer of the band Santana.

The students practiced with Greg Walker this week and will perform as his band during a benefit concert tonight.

Walker sang lead vocals in the 1970s and 1980s for Santana, known for its blend of rock, salsa and jazz. The leader of the band, Carlos Santana, is recognized among the greatest guitarists in rock 'n' roll, and the band played hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va."

"It was really cool," drummer Gordon Schultz said of rehearsing with Walker. "He's very soulful."

"He's really down-to-earth," student David Karam said.

The members of the jazz band said Walker fielded their questions with ease, cracked jokes, and sang like "an angel."

"He was a really chill guy and not uptight," Tovar said.

"When he started singing," Jesus Morales said, "he just kind of gave me chills. I was like, 'Wow.'"

The Salem High School jazz band students landed the gig with Walker because the concert's organizer, a professor at Cambridge College, taught Salem High band director Cynthia Napierkowski as a graduate student.

"I was blown away (by the Salem students)," said Dr. Rene Thomas, a professor of education and psychology, who organized tonight's concert in Lawrence to benefit a nonprofit that she founded called the Adopt-a-Patient Foundation.

"They're really into the rhythm of it," said Thomas, a professor of education and psychology. "You can see they're feeling it."

Adopt-a-Patient funds a broad range of programs, including education, nutrition, health care and job training, as well as services for children with disabilities and training for athletes.

Since his career with Santana, Walker has performed with various bands, and with Joan Baez at the Boston Pops. He echoed the Salem students' sentiments about their collaboration.

"I was impressed," said Walker, who lives in Los Angeles and traveled to the North Shore this week to rehearse with the students and perform tonight.

Five of the Salem students will also be singing solos tonight: Karam, Ryan Buchanan, Emily Kent, Anna Morsillo and Miles Hartfelder. They had to perform for Walker during rehearsal on Monday, which Morsillo described as nerve-racking at first.

"I was impressed, not just with the band members," Walker said, "but there are a few musicians there who can really sing."

Walker is currently in a band called World Classic Rockers, whose members include former members of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Boston, Journey, Toto and Steppenwolf.

For Napierkowski, she said Walker's performance with the students is the "icing on the cake of a really amazing year." Salem High musicians earned a slew of awards and honors this year, including a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York earlier this spring.

The jazz band, whose members include eight freshman, will be playing five songs with Walker tonight — "You've Got a Friend," "Stormy," "She's Not There," "The Lady Who Wants to Know" and a song called "Concern," written by Thomas, the benefit's organizer.

The high school saxophone quartet will also be playing "Satin Doll."

"It's a huge amount of music," Napierkowski said. "It's a credit to these kids they've taken the initiative to learn a ton of music in a short amount of time."

Adopt-a-Patient concert

When: Today, 7 p.m.

Where: School for Exceptional Studies, 58 Lawrence St., Lawrence

Cost: Tickets range from $30 to $50

Who: The Salem High School jazz band will accompany Greg Walker, former lead vocalist for Santana

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Santana singer in tune with students
by By Amanda McGregor , , Thu May 21, 2009, 05:45 AM EDT
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