If yousa国际传媒檙e looking for a dead-on impersonation of Carlos Santana, says his act might not be for you.

The Vancouver-based musician who brings his popular tribute act, to the stage of the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Saturday night says his show is more about honouring the music than note-for-note replication.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e paying homage (to Santana),sa国际传媒� he stressed.sa国际传媒淣ot emulating.sa国际传媒�

Towle,who has been playing the guitar since he was 12 and working as a professional musician for more than 20 years, feels that given the abundance of tribute acts and impersonators, itsa国际传媒檚 an important distinction to note.

sa国际传媒淲hat wesa国际传媒檙e really trying to do, in the truest sense, is pay tribute rather than try to be Carlos Santana. I donsa国际传媒檛 pretend to be anybody but me,sa国际传媒� he noted.

Not that hesa国际传媒檚 knocking tribute actssa国际传媒攈e knows being a professional impersonator is a tough gig.

sa国际传媒淚 guess I wear the hat,sa国际传媒� he conceded. sa国际传媒淥ther than that, I really donsa国际传媒檛 look the part, I just love to play Santanasa国际传媒檚 music.sa国际传媒�

Towle says he cansa国际传媒檛 pinpoint exactly when or how he developed his passion for the 10-time Grammy-award winnersa国际传媒檚 work, just that, as a guitar player himself, he cansa国际传媒檛 help but admire ever-evolving performersa国际传媒檚 distinct style.

He admits it may stem from the years he spent playing exclusively acoustic guitar, focusing on nouveau flamencosa国际传媒攁 genre of music he says is akin to the style made popular by the Gypsy Kings.

sa国际传媒淏esides, Santana is a ton of fun to listen to, but theysa国际传媒檙e also a ton of fun to play.sa国际传媒�

That love, he added, is what inspired the former music teacher to assemble Supernaturalsa国际传媒� a seven, and sometimes, eight piece band that he says recreates the experience of a Santana concert, with sa国际传媒渁ll the energy and musicianship of the real thing.sa国际传媒�

Acknowledging the ambition required to devote a group of musicians soley to covering Carlos Santanasa国际传媒檚 vast canon of ever-evolving music, Towle points to the uniqueness of itself.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e never met a person that doesnsa国际传媒檛 at least like Santana. Who wouldnsa国际传媒檛 want to cover his music?sa国际传媒� he asked, adding that standing out among his peers in the West Coast music scene was also attractive when it comes to choosing his act.

sa国际传媒淭here are a bajillion Beatles acts, but as far as I know wesa国际传媒檙e the only Santana act outside of California.sa国际传媒�

Whatever Towle and Supernatural are doing, it appears to have struck a chord, with Vernon audiences, as their last three local performances have sold out.

And hesa国际传媒檚 hoping for another sell-out this weekend.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e really looking forward to coming back to Vernon,sa国际传媒� he said.

The show, which Towle describes as high energy, covers 50 years of Santanasa国际传媒檚 music, from his career-making performance of Soul Sacrifice at Woodstock, to his collaborations and more recent albums.

sa国际传媒淲e pretty much kick off at a ten, and it keeps going from there. We have two amazing singers; a male and a female, and I sing as well. Itsa国际传媒檚 a really broad spectrum to cover, so we have quite a few songs on reserve.sa国际传媒�

When yousa国际传媒檙e covering a 50-year career, he noted, the question isnsa国际传媒檛 what songs to cover, itsa国际传媒檚 what songs to leave out.

Supernatural: a Santana Experience takes the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre stage Saturday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available for $55 adult through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, .

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Erin Christie

Morning Star Staff

erin.christie@vernonmorningstar.com
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