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Carlos Santana, the Latin-rock fusion musician, strode into his new Maria, Maria restaurant in Danville on Monday afternoon, wearing a T-shirt fashioned with Bob Marley's image under his jackets.

"It was the gift of an artist friend," he said, pulling out the shirt for better viewing.

The entrepreneur musician also has a line of shoes and purses and a nonprofit foundation called Milagro, or miracles, to help underprivileged children. The Rose Garden's Maria, Maria is his fifth restaurant.

"To me it's an opportunity to affirm that life is delicious," he said, "especially with people who have a passion for what they do."

He observed that the holidays can be difficult for people going through rough times so the new year seemed the best time to launch this venture.

"It's all about energy - how much you use it to give back. Kindness and generosity help heal and give back," he said.

He is pleased, he said, to do his bit to provide jobs in today's economy.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to be of service to help California heal itself because the main thing that is needed in California is for us to invest more and more energy," he said.

He also stated that those working at Maria, Maria had better enjoy the restaurant business.

"If you are not sincere we'll get rid of you," he said, adding, "We're all here to be of service to one another."

The "neuvo Mexican" menu includes braised duck tacos and a sauce of chilis, pineapple and cinnamon.

"We concentrated on the flavors of colors," he said.

Santana has been on the music scene since the 1960s playing his "world music" at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco as well as at Woodstock. An early classic was "Black Magic Woman."

Now, 40 year later, he has sold more than 90 million records. He's currently in Las Vegas with his "Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits."

Santana said he prefers instrumental music over vocals as he travels the world.

"If you want to transcend speaking in a language, melodies speak louder than any song," he said. "Melodies are totally inclusive."

Santana has also founded a project called "Architects of a New Dawn," to create positive change around the world based on inspiration, creativity, love and forgiveness.

No matter where we were born, we all come into the world with three important things, he said: "light, love and choices."

"What a concept that we can bring it all together - light, love and choices," he said.

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