FEATURED CD - Santana : Abraxas

[Vic2012]

^ You might be thinking of "Hope You're Feeling Better."

[profusion]

In regards to later stuff I'm a sucker for the fusion albums up through about Moonflower. While many of you were in college when this came out I was just getting into high school around the time of Inner Secrets, but songs from the Amigos-Festival-Moonflower phase were still all over FM radio for years ("She's Not There" is one of the best covers ever IMO.)

For a long time, I was sort of a snob about liking mainly their fusion albums of 1972-74. Now, I really appreciate all the Santana albums up through Shango in 1982. The later ones in that era were more commercial in the sense of each having one or two songs that could be played on the radio, but as albums they were wildly eclectic and often featured a lot of hot playing. I think Carlos maintained his integrity quite well during that period.

After Shango, I feel like Carlos lost the muse a bit, and the '80s obviously weren't kind to his type of music.

[bill g]

Always loved 'Singing Winds...' and 'Incident at Neshabur'. 'Welcome' was my favorite back in the day.

[Digital_Man]

^ You might be thinking of "Hope You're Feeling Better."

Yep. Or possibly mother's daughter(just tried finding it on youtube). I'll play the whole cd in my car again soon.

[Trane]

For a long time, I was sort of a snob about liking mainly their fusion albums of 1972-74. Now, I really appreciate all the Santana albums up through Shango in 1982. The later ones in that era were more commercial in the sense of each having one or two songs that could be played on the radio, but as albums they were wildly eclectic and often featured a lot of hot playing. I think Carlos maintained his integrity quite well during that period.

After Shango, I feel like Carlos lost the muse a bit, and the '80s obviously weren't kind to his type of music.

personally, I think that Santana (the band) kind of lost it after Inner Secrets (78)... but Carlos solo kept on being flawless until Swing of Delight (79) and good until Salvador in 87 (which is his last solo album until today)

That string of album with Ligterwood on vocals (from Marathon until Shango) doesn't cut it at all for me... and until the excellent Shape Shifter (12), you'd better forget anything in between

Anyone got news about the future album with the classic (69 to 72 -) line-up?? and the tour??

[Vic2012]

Anyone got news about the future album with the classic (69 to 72 -) line-up?? and the tour??

Yeah, heard about that project a while back and nothing's become of it, as far as I know. Not that I'm actually seeking out any info on that, but I was interested to know what was gonna happen with that deal. It wasn't going to be an autobuy but I was kinda interested in hearing what they were going to come up with. I seriously doubt they were going to come up with anything that had the fire and urgency of the first couple of albums. Too many decades have passed. 20 years ago I'd have been more excited about a reunion.

[Plasmatopia]

This was the first Santana album I owned. Someone loaned me a cassette of this back in high school and I used to jam along with it on my guitar for a while around that time. Probably due to this being the first one I had (and also never owning many of the others) this is my favorite of the ones I've heard.

[Trane]

Yeah, heard about that project a while back and nothing's become of it, as far as I know. Not that I'm actually seeking out any info on that, but I was interested to know what was gonna happen with that deal. It wasn't going to be an autobuy but I was kinda interested in hearing what they were going to come up with. I seriously doubt they were going to come up with anything that had the fire and urgency of the first couple of albums. Too many decades have passed. 20 years ago I'd have been more excited about a reunion.

I had high hopes , because the news broke out after the very good Shape Shifter

Didn't look for news either, because I figured this would be high profile enough stuff to reach my ears without having to search it down...

[interbellum]

Anyone got news about the future album with the classic (69 to 72 -) line-up?? and the tour??

Some recent info can be found here: http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news...racks-recorded

[profusion]

That string of album with Ligterwood on vocals (from Marathon until Shango) doesn't cut it at all for me... and until the excellent Shape Shifter (12), you'd better forget anything in between

It's funny, I'm almost the exact opposite. I prefer the Ligertwood albums to the previous three with Greg Walker, and Shape Shifter was a big disappointment for me, considering that I love The Swing of Delight and Blues for Salvador.

[Camelogue]

70's Santana was it! 40 and 50 year olds were grooving on it too.

I've enjoyed the expressing of the sentiments here.

[Supersonic Scientist]

This is certainly their most iconic release and presumably the most famous of the early Santana albums (and indeed, full stop, until that poppy 90s stuff). I've always loved 'Samba Pa Ti' with some of Carlos Santana's most moving playing IMHO.

I think the musical peak might be the live 'Lotus' though'- astonishing stuff.

LOTUS is a stone-cold classic !!!!!!

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

Salvador in 87 (which is his last solo album until today)

... and until the excellent Shape Shifter

those are the only 2 good ones after Shango IMO


on a different note, I have this 2CD thing with a bunch of recordings that predate the first album. Much of the material resurfaced on later (official?) Santana albums but is there anyone who has this that can comment on that pre-debut material?

[profusion]

I'm not sure about all of it, but they recorded an initial version of the first album before Mike Shrieve joined that was scrapped. It's included on the Deluxe Edition of the first album and, I suspect, on that earlier release. That's not enough for a 2cd release, though, so maybe there was some material predating that, from back when they were the Santana Blues Band. I just read Carlos' memoirs, and I seem to recall him mentioning an early session, but I don't remember the details.

[Trane]

those are the only 2 good ones after Shango IMO


on a different note, I have this 2CD thing with a bunch of recordings that predate the first album. Much of the material resurfaced on later (official?) Santana albums but is there anyone who has this that can comment on that pre-debut material?

Most of it is raw blues-rock with mucho gusto y gutso

AFAIK, this is like FGTR... it's been licensed (or booted) so many times, that there must be some 50 to 100 versions of each, and I'm not sure Genesis or Santana get a dime from that

I personally only have the double-live (link below)

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=13255

It's all you really need from that period: and it's a Columbia Legacy release, which means that it is not only legit, but the band sees some money from it.

[Zeuhlmate]

on a different note, I have this 2CD thing with a bunch of recordings that predate the first album. Much of the material resurfaced on later (official?) Santana albums but is there anyone who has this that can comment on that pre-debut material?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana...acy_Edition.29 - According to this, the 2 CD (2004 Legacy Edition) only contains the original album + woodstock, and its Shrieve all the way (I have it).
So - what album are you referring to, or have I misunderstood something?

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana...acy_Edition.29 - According to this, the 2 CD (2004 Legacy Edition) only contains the original album + woodstock, and its Shrieve all the way (I have it).
So - what album are you referring to, or have I misunderstood something?

yeesh! I just looked and found more boots... here is one:
http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Sacrifice.../dp/B0002BGE98

do any of you Santana experts have any opinions or info on the tunes on this boot?
like who plays on them and when they were recorded?

[profusion]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana...acy_Edition.29 - According to this, the 2 CD (2004 Legacy Edition) only contains the original album + woodstock, and its Shrieve all the way (I have it).
So - what album are you referring to, or have I misunderstood something?

Read that Wiki again. On disc 2 of the Legacy Edition, tracks 1-6 are the original, previously unreleased version of the album, which was recorded with Bob Livingston on drums (though this Wiki page doesn't say that...it's in the liner notes and in Carlos' own Wiki and autobiography). The band was unhappy with the original version and fired Livingston.

The first version also featured Marcus Malone on percussion instead of Michael Carabello. Carabello had worked with Carlos earlier in the original Santana Blues Band but left for awhile. Malone went to prison before the album was rerecorded, and so Carabello rejoined and is on the version as released.

Also, for Mysterious Traveller: the 2cd release you referred to before is, I believe, a set of 1968 demos recorded before they signed with Columbia Records. It's been released in a zillion different repackagings and probably qualifies as "semi-legitimate."

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

oh... ok, thanx for the info Profusion

here is the double CD that I spoke of which has completely different stuff than the first one I posted above:

http://www.discogs.com/Santana-Evolu...elease/3282201

[profusion]

I'm pretty sure all those "pre-first album" releases (except for the Fillmore '68 live release, obviously) are from the same set of sessions at Pacific Recorders in '68 or early '69.

[interbellum]

While Carlos just released a new CD and a previous album became Featured CD today, I rather stick to my old Santana-albums. And it's a great time for fans of those first three LP's. Sony Japan is releasing the original 4.1 quadrophonic mixes on SACD. They began a couple of years ago with "Lotus", but then "Santana" and "Abraxas" followed. This month "Santana III" was released. The surround mixes from those studio-albums shows a lot of details even the biggest fans never heard.

[interbellum]

Review of the new quadrophonic SACD Santana III

[pb2015]

In a few cases the surround mixes have different guitar solos, or multiple guitar takes playing at once (which I remember happening on "Incident At Neshabur").

[IMWeasel]

I was one of the few people of my age to know who Santana was before the Supernatural album, and this album was a large reason why!