At his own Tarpan Studios in San Rafael, California, Walden is currently writing and producing tracks for jazz-rock fusion virtuoso drummer Cindy Blackman Santana’s upcoming album. Walden predicts big things for Santana (who has performed with everyone from Lenny Kravitz to Joss Stone, and who holds down the drummer’s seat in husband Carlos’ band), and he cites one of the songs they’ve collaborated on, “Fun Party Splash,” as a potential summer smash.

“One of my main goals was to get that dynamite single for Cindy, and we’ve got it with ‘Fun Party Splash,’ Walden enthuses. “It’s a real Sly Stone meets Lenny Kravitz meets ‘right now’ kind of song. It’s rocky, funky and tough. Cindy plays the hell out of the drums and she sings great. She’s got so much energy, and she’s so gorgeous – it’s a pleasure to be around her.”

At the same time, Walden is halfway through an adventurous album project with Journey guitar legend Neal Schon, one that he describes as “a symphonic record” that will blend blues, rock and stirring melodic music and is aimed at being performed live with an orchestra.

“I’ve written six or seven songs, and the rest will be covers,” Walden explains. It’s going to showcase Neal as a virtuoso instrumentalist in a new way. Neal has always wanted to do something like this, and after my experience with Jeff Beck – I toured with him for two years – I offered to produce an album for him, and he jumped at it. The record is pretty much Neal and me, along with a bassist, ‘Troy “Booda” Lampkins, and then we build it up with the strings and orchestra. It’s really powerful music.”

Late last year, Walden joined alt-pop/adult contemporary artist Jennifer Saran, South African Grammy-winning male choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and guitar legend Carlos Santana on the rousing world peace anthem “Wake Up” (proceeds of which benefitted the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation), and he’s just wrapped Saran’s full-length disc, due in early summer.

“We have Ladysmith Black Mambazo on two more tracks, and they sound amazing,” Walden says. “Jennifer’s album is so exciting. She isn’t New Age, but she’s new age in her thinking. Her lyrics are very socially conscious – she encourages people to wake up and do the right thing for each other. She’s also very honest in her romantic love songs. People are going to adore this new album.”

Last year, Walden caught 11-year-old Nayah Damasen singing the National Anthem before San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors games – and he was so knocked out by her power and range that he started mentoring her as part of his Narada Michael Walden Foundation (she ultimately became Artist of the Year). Now Walden is producing tracks for Damasen’s debut album, and he isn’t shy about heaping praise on the youthful performer.

“She’s like a young Michael Jackson,” he says. “She’s all heart and soul. Most impressive is how much power and control she has for somebody so tiny. She has a boatload of charisma, too – she’s going to have a fantastic career. When you see her sing at the Giants and Warriors games, you can’t help but be floored.”

Speaking of the San Francisco Giants, the team will honor the Narada Michael Walden Foundation for its numerous contributions to the local community later this season. “I’m just happy to be able to do good work,” Walden says humbly. “That’s all the recognition I need.”

Starting with 1985’s multi-platinum smash Who’s Zoomin’ Who?, Walden has produced several hits for the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, and he’s propelled her live show behind the drum kit on and off over the past year. On April 19 he’ll rock the skins with her as part of the all-star salute to Clive Davis at Radio City Music Hall, which will also feature the world premiere screening of Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives.

“It’s always been such a pleasure to work with Aretha,” says Walden, “and of course Clive and I go way back – a lot of hits together. It’s funny how I started playing live with Aretha: She called me up and asked me if I had an idea for a drummer. I said, ‘Uh, yeah – me!’ I flew out to her and we got it on, and she said, ‘Wow, I knew you could play the drums, but I didn’t know you could do that!’ It’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

For Walden, who got his start in the business as the drummer for the groundbreaking jazz-rock fusion band Mahavishu Orchestra, performing live is still an unbeatable thrill. “When I’m drumming and singing, all the oxygen runs to my head, and I feel the molecules exploding,” he says. “That’s how I get all my juice to go back into the studio and make some hits.”

Bay Area music fans will get a chance to see Walden let loose with his band when they perform at the Jerry Garcia Amphitheater located in the McLaren Park in San Francisco this summer. “The president of our label, Tarpan Records, is Steffen Franz, and he’s a big shot with the parks,” Walden says. “He asked me and the band to come over and blast it out, and that’s all I needed to hear. I’ll do my Mahavishu stuff, my Jeff Beck stuff, some of my disco hits – it’ll be a party.”

Walden’s Tarpan Studios continues to thrive – and inspire. Recently, the facility hosted its 10th annual week-long Programming Camp, led by head engineer Jim Reitzel, for Marin Academy students. “It’s a great week of producing, songwriting and recording for the kids,” Walden says. “Jim does a great job of the whole thing, and I make sure to be around and help out. I want to encourage the kids in any way I can.”

Walden was a bit hit recently at the San Pedro Elementary School in San Rafael when his Narada Michael Walden Foundation donated 40 ukuleles to fifth-grade students in the music education class. Walden showed up at the school to speak with the students, and he even accompanied them (on his daughter’s mini drum set) on gleeful renditions of “La Bamba” and Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” “That was a real blast!” Walden says with a laugh. “All these kids on ukuleles and me on the baby drums – we just rocked. They’re cutting a lot of music in schools, so it’s important to do what we can to inspire the kids.”

Grammy-winning guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan just wrapped recording his new album at Tarpan Studios, and Walden jumped at the opportunity to drum on one of his tracks. “How could I say no?” Walden says with a laugh. “Even though I produce, I love playing with artists. Stanley is unbelievable – he can play piano with one hand and guitar with the other. I kind of followed his body as we played together – that was my cue for the music. He’s so gifted, and it was a thrill to play with him.”

With all of this activity underway, Walden simply has no time to think about slowing down. He reflects on some wisdom Lou Rawls imparted on him years ago: “Lou said, ‘It’s supposed to be fun, and the fun keeps you young.’ That’s how I think. He then launches into the chorus of an early Who classic: “’I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles…’ That’s the way I live my life. There’s no end in sight.”

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