Santana ~ USA ~ San Francisco, California

One of the most influential guitarists in history, Carlos Santana assembled a high quality group of multi-cultural musicians. Coming from the Mission District of San Francisco, Santana was groundbreaking in many ways. But what really makes Carlos special is that he took his fame and fortune and made a go at high art. His "spiritual jazz rock" phase is nothing short of incredible, before settling back into corporate America. And mostly losing his way ever since. There's a religious metaphor in there I think. How ironic. More updates to come eventually.

Welcome (1973)

Welcome is Santana's 5th album and was released smack dab in the middle of his spiritual jazz rock phase. Along with Caravanserai, Love Devotion & Surrender, and Lotus, it almost defies belief that a major "pop" artist such as Santana would achieve such great heights with decidedly non-commercial music. Which is the primary gripe of the naysayers even today. Intense guitar heavy jamming is not for everyone, and it's understandable that he lost a good portion of his primary audience. My view is the polar opposite. The older I get the more I appreciate Santana and other artists who followed his way. Welcome is not only a jam heavy guitar and organ extravaganza, but it also features some beautiful songwriting. I love the Leon Thomas sung songs, completely at odds with the rest of the album, yet fits the elevated spirituality that was Carlos Santana in 1973. There's the obvious great with tracks like 'Flame-Sky' and the title track. And then there's the beautiful great with 'Love, Devotion, & Surrender', 'When I Look Into Your Eyes', and 'Light of Life'. They are not mutually exclusive. Yet another Santana album that gets a +1. For whatever reason I didn't buy this album back in college with the rest of them. My mistake as it's one of their best. The CD features one more great song ('Mantra') that is not to be missed.

Ownership: 2006 Columbia Japan (CD). Papersleeve edition. Part of a box set.

2005 (first listen); 2/16/25 (review)

Beyond Appearances (1985)

I find it interesting that Carlos Santana never let go of his iconic psychedelic sound. He really could have been the tip of the spear at any kind renaissance of high quality psych and fusion in the 1980s. But he decided to play ball and follow the trends of the day. So most of the songs are boring, with cringeworthy 80s digitalitis sounds. ...and Carlos' beautiful tone when it's his turn. Oh well, he continued to stick with this formula, and it finally paid off for him commercially about 15 years later. 

Source: 1985 Columbia (LP)

7/31/24 (review)

Santana (1969)

The birth of the movement. Latin Rock remains one of my favorite subgenres of music, and I owe a ton of gratitude to a one Carlos Santana. A fantastic guitar player who had the vision to meld Hispanic culture with the ongoing psychedelic and hard rock movements. His group and extended family spawned many imitators, some maybe even better than anything Santana released. While Carlos deserves heaps of praise, the X-factor in the group has to be Gregg Rolie. His soulful voice, songwriting ability, and Hammond organ work is at the highest levels. The juxtaposition of bluesy hard rock soul numbers like 'Shades of Time', 'Evil Ways', 'Persuasion', 'Treat', and 'You Just Don't Care' against the percussive Latin rockers 'Waiting', 'Savor', 'Jingo', and 'Soul Sacrifice' is what makes the debut so special. Rolie was to Carlos what Roman Bunka was to Christian Burchard (Embryo). Taking a great band to a timeless one. Even though I've known this album for well for 40 years, I still managed a +1 listen out of it. It now resides in the very top tier.

Ownership: Columbia (LP) later 70s press; 2006 Columbia Japan (CD). Papersleeve edition. Part of a box set. Contains three bonus tracks taken from the Woodstock concert.

1983 (first listen); 6/13/16; 11/26/23 (review)

Festival (1977)

About a year ago I had a chance to revisit Moonflower to great results. Would I have a similar experience here? And the answer is a resounding yes. While it doesn't have a jaw dropper like 'Europa' (what does?), Festival is more consistent. The first three tracks are Santana at his absolute best, mixing in his purposely naïve view of the world with molten licks. And so it goes, with his usual mix of ethnic and harder rocking tracks. He pretty much let go of the funk that permeated Amigos. There are two tracks that are too Vegas-y for me 'Give Me Love' and 'The River', which still leaves 36 minutes of great music.

Ownership: 1977 Columbia (LP)

1987 (first listen); 8/9/21 (review)

Amigos (1976)

Funny about these albums sitting in the collection forever, that go back to childhood, and yet I couldn't tell you squat about it. I only kept the LP all these years because of 'Europa'. More on that one in a minute. What of the other six tracks, are they really that bad? No, not all actually. Well, save one.

'Dance Sister Dance' is a hybrid classic Santana Latin number with some creeping funk influence. The latter half of this song jams quite well. Which then segues nicely into the album's hidden gem 'Take Me With You', which sounds like early Santana ripping and roaring, until it puts the brakes on for a nice journey on The Love Boat. C'mon now, the girls are pretty and this is the perfect soundtrack. 'Let Me' isn't so bad really. Yes, it's got that Herbie Hancock Clavinet thing going and I could probably go without the "soul sista" chorus that were annoying even back then... and especially now. But Santana is there to lay down a killer lick or two, so it's OK.

'Gitano' is Amigos' contribution to Latin music. There are times when it seems it's about to take off into another killer jam, but it stays within the rails too much. 'Tell Me Are You Tired'. (OK, if you insist). This one is a bit too much funk pop for me, with more soul sista chorus, but not egregious on the whole.

This leads to 'Europa', which is just simply one of the most beautiful - and powerful - instrumentals ever committed to tape. Been hearing it for over 40 years, and I still get goosebumps throughout the entire song. Had it only been 20 minutes.... In any case this leads to...

'Let it Shine', the track that does everything in its power to desecrate the previous - that what was once holy and sacred. I mean I can deal with a little boogie woogie now and then, but seriously this is just plain awful. OK, let's just forget it ever happened. Nothing to see here.

And so with that - an album that is far better than I ever recalled. Glad I kept it.

Ownership: Columbia (LP). 80s pressing

1989 (first listen); 11/30/07; 9/21/18 (review)

9/21/18 (new entry)