Article Contributed by Devious Planet
Published on November 4, 2025
Dude Cervantes is excited to release his version of the Santana classic, “Samba Pa Ti”. Tinnitist shares the single here. The track is off his latest effort,The Ride or Die of Dude Cervantes and The Panchos, due November 28th through Blind Owl Records.
Dude has been a vibrant part of Southern California’s music scene for years, and with this new solo album, he’s teaming up with his classic 4-piece band, The Panchos, made up of guitarist Dylan Donovan from psych-rock band Sacri Monti, Justin De La Vega from punk-metal trio Warish, and bassist Ryan Grenda. Similar to bands like Los Lobos, Cervantes and The Panchos intertwine elements of roots-rock with introspective songwriting drawing inspiration from iconic bands like The Allman Brothers and Wishbone Ash, mixing it with the raw energy of Crazy Horse and The Pixies. Live, their performances are nothing short of electrifying.
Recorded live in April of 2023 at The Hotel Cafe, The Ride or Die continues to carve out Cervantes’ identity as a solo artist, guitarist, and bandleader. The Panchos are a powerhouse ensemble that’s been with Cervantes through under-the-radar gigs since 2022, and together they form a bond that bleeds through every track. At its core, the album holds the sound of a band that is hungry-hearted, surefooted, and fully in their element.
The Ride or Die, showcases new songs, material from his studio albums, and a masterful cover of Carlos Santana’s instrumental, “Samba Pa Ti”, Cervantes’ and Dylan Donovan’s twin leads are like a soaring mescaline journey, while the rhythm section anchors with the complexities of Latin syncopation.
Dude explains how “Samba Pa Ti” entered the Panchos’ set after a post–Jacumba Hot Springs excursion he took with my wife in March 2023. “The inn we stayed at had a random assortment of records in each room, and Abraxas was one of them. As soon as it came on, it all hit me like a trip—total immersion into the vibes that Carlos and his original lineup were channeling.
“I grew up with a Best of Santana (pre-Supernatural), and “Samba Pa Ti,” along with “Europa,” was always one of my favorite instrumentals. The original recording fades just as the band is slipping into the groove, and I always felt like it could just keep going. So we decided to jam it out, letting it roll endlessly—hitting every celestial pocket our guitars took us.”
“The version we played the night of the live record was its own cosmic trip, and every time we performed it, it transformed into another path—new wings. Eyes closed, letting it all go.”
ABOUT DUDE CERVANTES
Audiences know Daniel “Dude” Cervantes as the San Diego,CA born musician whose interstellar electric guitar ignites bands like MRS. HENRY, Howlin’ Rain, and Chest Fever. Lauded by press and print outlets including NPR, Rolling Stone & Relix Magazine, with NBC Channel 7 summing it up with: “What can’t this guy play? He oozes Rock & Roll swagger and few use it better.” A multi-hyphenate musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, label owner, and solo recording artist as Dude Cervantes, he navigates an ever-shifting orbit of sonic exploration both live and in-studio. As the originator of the indie record label Blind Owl, he advances a collective of authentic artists ranging from punk rock legend Zander Schloss of The Circle Jerks to author Noah C. Lekas, whose collaborative work with Cervantes on Saturday Night Sage earned praise from Rolling Stone’s Senior Editor David Fricke calling it “Poetry And Psychedelia, as if Tom Waits had hitched a ride on The Jefferson Airplane’s version Of ‘Wooden Ships.”
