All because of one of Stanley Roberts' annoying, finger-wagging "People Behaving Badly" segments for KRON 4, Carlos Santana has gotten back in touch with a down-on-his-luck former bandmate, a drummer nicknamed Marcus the Magnificent.

Marcus Malone appeared on Roberts' segment about illegal dumping in Oakland, which he was filming earlier this month, and he happened to mention to Roberts that he used to play in the Santana Blues Band back in the 60s. The band, in fact, got its start in Malone's mother's garage, and after Roberts confirmed this, he managed to get Satana out of Tiburon for an afternoon for an emotional reunion with his long-lost friend and fellow musician, and the story's now made national news.

Santana says that he now wants to get Malone, who's been living in a camper in Oakland, a set of conga drums so that he can record with him this winter. According to the book Not Fade Away: A Backstage Ticket to 20 years of Rock & Roll by Ben Fong-Torres, Santana credits Malone with influencing his Afro-Latin sound. Unfortunately, Malone only recorded one album with Santana and was in jail on a manslaughter charge when Santana gave his seminal performance at Woodstock in 1969. Both Malone and Santana discussed the series of events that led to their separation on CNN this week.

Santana says, "I would like to get him some congas so he can get his hands hard again because he hasn’t been playing the congas in a while." He also thanks Roberts profusely, saying, "This course that you started, Stanley, with Marcus it’s on due course for us now to have a divine story, a divine redemption. We will offer him whatever we can offer him to get back on his feet with elegance and grace to live a happy life."

P.S. Santana's going to be honored on Sunday, December 29, at the Kennedy Center Honors, airing on CBS.

[KRON 4]
[NY Daily News]