Santana recording a new album, shakes set list at House of Blues

Whether bridging gaps or building benches, Carlos Santana is one busy dude.

Celebrating his fifth anniversary at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Thursday, the philanthropically passionate rock legend announced a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Las Vegas. Santana, who is back onstage this weekend, is donating funds to Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas to help the organization build on the 200 or so residences it has already constructed in Las Vegas.

Keeping with Santana’s universal theme of peace and love, a new bench spelling out “LOVE” was unveiled at the House of Blues entrance, the creation of Las Vegas woodworker Kerm Sablan and artist Justin Lepper. The bench is the first of five art pieces created by the duo to celebrate Santana’s five years at the hotel (he previously headlined for two years at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel) and new partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

In a one-on-one interview inside House of Blues, after the ceremony, Sanatana revealed a new album, tentatively titled, “Africa Speaks, The World Listens.” He’s recording the album at Odds On Studios in Henderson, and also at famed producer Rick Rubin’s studio in Malibu, Calif.

“I just wrote this song, and I need to copyright it, called, ‘My Blues Is Deep,’ which is from something John Lee Hooker once said, “Santana said, adding that the new album is invoking African vocalists and rhythms. “We’re talking about imagery, and feel. We just feel really, really good about what we’re doing right now.”

Santana is rebuilding the set list for his shows at House of Blues, which continue through Sunday.

“The show is going to be chronological, the way Santana started, instead of all over the place,” he said. “We’re going to start with first thing people heard, which was ‘Soul Sacrifice,’ from Woodstock, and go from there. Let’s just do it historically, like it happened.”

Santana continues to refer to his devotees as “weapons of mass compassion,” and preaches that theme in his live shows and everywhere else.

“I transmit a frequency of real brotherhood,” he says. “I want to make the table longer, not the wall taller, and that is what happening now.”

Fator returns to “AGT”

Terry Fator, the vaunted ventriloquist and headliner of his eponymous theater at The Mirage, returns tonight to where he gained national fame: “America’s Got Talent.”

The show’s Season 2 champion in 2007, Fator is back for the second time this year for the season finale. He’s toting a familiar friend, Winston the Impersonating Turtle, the puppet he used in his championship performance a decade ago. Fans roared at Fator’s rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” in the final round, as he swapped lines with Winston, a figure inspired by Kermit the Frog from Muppet fame.

Fator has been assisting this year’s ventriloquial star, Darci Lynne Farmer. Fator has been furnishing sage advice and writing jokes for the 12-year-old voice-thrower to use throughout the competition.

Who Was Where

Ricky Martin, who is Livin’ La Vida Lo …KA!

The headliner at The Park Theater at Monte Carlo was at “Ka”at MGM Grand on Monday night (and yes, that was a long way to go for that joke.)

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.