I am a 9x Grammy award-winning artist with over 40 years of experience in music performance and production. I have done everything from wrapping cables to playing for crowds of 100,000 and managing multimedia workflows, and have learned how to deliver high creativity with consistency and composure, from some of the most iconic artists of the century, such as Carlos Santana, Miles Davis and Sheila E., to name a few. Throughout my career, I have also worked as a video producer, composer, arranger, session musician, and even SAG actor, collaborating with a wide variety of artists on numerous projects. I continue to thrive on the excitement of working together with other passionate and talented collaborators, regardless of genre or field.

Benny Rietveld

PRO

I am a 9x Grammy award-winning artist with over 40 years of experience in music performance and production. I have done everything from wrapping cables to playing for crowds of 100,000 and managing multimedia workflows, and have learned how to deliver high creativity with consistency and composure, from some of the most iconic artists of the century, such as Carlos Santana, Miles Davis and Sheila E., to name a few. Throughout my career, I have also worked as a video producer, composer, arranger, session musician, and even SAG actor, collaborating with a wide variety of artists on numerous projects. I continue to thrive on the excitement of working together with other passionate and talented collaborators, regardless of genre or field.

Available to hire

I am a 9x Grammy award-winning artist with over 40 years of experience in music performance and production. I have done everything from wrapping cables to playing for crowds of 100,000 and managing multimedia workflows, and have learned how to deliver high creativity with consistency and composure, from some of the most iconic artists of the century, such as Carlos Santana, Miles Davis and Sheila E., to name a few.

Throughout my career, I have also worked as a video producer, composer, arranger, session musician, and even SAG actor, collaborating with a wide variety of artists on numerous projects. I continue to thrive on the excitement of working together with other passionate and talented collaborators, regardless of genre or field.

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Experience Level

Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate

Language

Work Experience

Bassist and Musical Director at Santana
January 1, 1994 - Present
Integral in building the Santana sound since 1994. Responsibilities include leading band rehearsals, performing live across stadiums and arenas worldwide at major events like Rock in Rio and the Super Bowl XXXVII Halftime show. Played bass on multi-platinum albums such as 'Supernatural' and hit songs including 'Smooth' and 'Maria Maria'. Assisted with audio mixing for the Santana IV: Live DVD.
Video Producer (Freelance) at Freelance
December 31, 2008 - September 4, 2025
Organized and financed a 5-camera HD shoot and production of seven music videos at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch in 2008. Hired and led the production team, coordinated all travel arrangements, oversaw production on Pro Tools and Final Cut, and performed on bass. Licensed one of the seven videos to Dolby Labs, Inc. for retail product demos.
Composer/Arranger for Albums at Various Artists
January 1, 1991 - Present
Composed and arranged music for numerous albums including works for Carlos Santana, John Lee Hooker, Sheila E., Bonnie Hayes, and others from 1991 to present, contributing to a broad range of musical projects and collaborations.
Composer/Arranger for Film & Video
January 1, 2007 - Present
Composed and arranged music for film and video projects starting from 2007, including films like Brooklyn Rules, The Crutch, Howard, Boundless, Girl Code, and TV series Time Makeover.
Session Musician (Bass) at Various Artists
January 1, 1984 - Present
Performed as a session bass musician recording with renowned artists including Carlos Santana, Miles Davis, Sheila E., Michel Legrand, Wayne Shorter, and many others, contributing to numerous influential projects since 1984.
Bassist and Musical Director at Santana
January 1, 1994 - Present
Integral part of creating and evolving the Santana sound since 1994. Responsibilities include leading band rehearsals, performing live internationally in stadiums and arenas such as Rock in Rio and the Super Bowl XXXVII Halftime Show, and playing bass on multi-platinum albums like Supernatural with hit songs including “Smooth” and “Maria Maria”. Contributed to audio mixing for the Santana IV: Live DVD.
Video Producer at Freelance
January 1, 2008 - Present
Organized and financed a 5-camera HD production of seven music videos at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch. Hired and led a team including notable artists such as Jon Fine and Dennis Chambers. Managed travel logistics, oversaw production using Pro Tools and Final Cut, and performed on bass. Successfully licensed one video to Dolby Labs for retail product demos.
Composer/Arranger for Albums at Various Artists
January 1, 1991 - Present
Composed and arranged music for albums by renowned artists including Carlos Santana, John Lee Hooker, Sheila E., Bonnie Hayes, Alicyn Yaffee, Topaz, and Gregory James from 1991 to present.
Composer/Arranger for Film & Video at Various Productions
January 1, 2007 - Present
Composed and arranged music for films and videos such as Brooklyn Rules (2007), The Crutch (2008), Time Makeover (2007), Howard (2019), Boundless (2019), and Girl Code (2019).
Session Musician (Bass) at Various Artists
January 1, 1984 - Present
Recorded bass parts for legendary musicians including Carlos Santana, Miles Davis, Sheila E., Michel Legrand, Wayne Shorter, David Gilmore, Dennis Chambers, and others from 1984 to present.

Education

Music Composition at University of Hawaii
January 11, 2030 - September 4, 2025

Qualifications

Grammy Awards
January 11, 2030 - September 4, 2025
Latin Grammy Awards
January 11, 2030 - September 4, 2025
Grammy Awards (8, including Record of the Year and Album of the Year)
January 11, 2030 - September 4, 2025
Latin Grammy Awards (3)
January 11, 2030 - September 4, 2025

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment