Record Reviews
16 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | AL KOOPER / SHUGGIE OTIS ~ KOOPER SESSION
ACADIA 8135 (Barcode: 805772813526) ~ USA ~ Blues
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2007
This is the last album in the series of recordings made in the late 1960s by keyboardist / producer Al KooperFind albums by this artist with some of the greatest guitar players (mostly Blues oriented) like Mike BloomfieldFind albums by this artist, Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist, Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist and Johnny WinterFind albums by this artist under the umbrella of the "Super SessionFind albums with this title" format, which allowed for a loosely defined jam session environment with a lot of on-the-spot improvised music to be recorded. This album features the talents of the Blues guitar prodigy Shuggie OtisFind albums by this artist, who was barely 15 years old at the time of this recording (son of Blues legend Johnny OtisFind albums by this artist). As usual for these sessions, Kooper assembled a rhythm session of seasoned studio musicians to accompany him and Otis. The session was divided into two parts, with one LP side containing more structured songs and the other lengthy jams, which allow Otis to play his heart out and display his guitar artistry at full. In retrospect this music lost nothing of its freshness and power, hitting the right notes time and again and for electric Blues fans this is still some of the best stuff ever recorded. Kooper´s magic touch just couldn´t go wrong and he kept the Blues flame burning. This is a great piece of music history and a much appreciated reissue of an album, which was lost for many years in the vaults.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ~ ELECTRIC GUITARIST
COLUMBIA 46110 (Barcode: 074644611021) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1979 Released: 1990
Solo album by John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist. An exceptional effort summarizing not only his illustrous career in the 70`s, but in fact the entire jazz-rock fusion genre of that period. A pleiade of music stars and cohorts participate here in various ensembles (Jerry GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist, Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist, Jack BruceFind albums by this artist, a.m.o.), strating with a virtual Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist reunion, then moving to quartet, trio, duet and finally a McLaughlin solo guitar performance, which indicates his desire to perform as a soloist, realized later in the 80`s. Absolutely brilliant!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ~ MONTREUX CONCERTS
WARNER MUSIC SWITZERLAND 9701 (Barcode: 5050466970121) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1974 - 1999 Released: 2003
This monumental Box Set (17 CDs!) is a collection of live recordings by John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist and his various ensembles at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland between 1974 and 1999. 25 years of McLaughlin’s brilliant career are summarized here in a continuous stream of mind-bugging musical brilliance and diversity. The exceptionally warm response and rapport between the musicians and the audience (which is so typical of the Montreux Festival) and the brilliant sound quality turn this set into a dream-come-true for every McLaughlin fan on earth. The various McLaughlin’s groups captured here are: Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist Mk. II (with Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist and Gayle MoranFind albums by this artist), ShaktiFind albums by this artist, One Truth BandFind albums by this artist, Mahavishnu Orchestra Mk. IV (with Bill EvansFind albums by this artist), Free SpiritsFind albums by this artist, Heart Of ThingsFind albums by this artist and Remember ShaktiFind albums by this artist. Also included are duets with Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, Paco De LuciaFind albums by this artist and Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist. McLaughlin plays acoustic and electric guitar and the guitar synthesizer, all of them with his usual eloquence and elegance. All this is an ocean of music, crossing genres like Fusion, Jazz and World Music, always brilliantly performed and highly inspiring. The genius of John McLaughlin as a player, composer, bandleader and visionary artist is omnipresent here from the first note to the very last. Although this set is relatively expensive, buying it is money well spent, probably better spent than any other recorded music you can get. Absolutely essential!
| | Updated: 07/01/2022Posted: | CD 17 Box Set Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | SANTANA ~ AFRICA SPEAKS
CONCORD 888072090842 (Barcode: 888072090842) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
It is almost exactly fifty years since I´ve heard SantanaFind albums by this artist live for the first time during the Woodstock Festival and it was definitely "love at first sound". Over the years I have kept a close ear down to the Santana ground, following the ups and downs the incredibly talented guitarist / composer / bandleader Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist and his ever changing ensembles, which produced a vast body of recordings over time. Santana never lost his touch on the guitar and he is still one of the best guitar players around, which nobody can deny. Personally I always preferred the Jazz "days" when Santana explored exotic Jazz-Rock Fusion with some of the top Jazz musicians, like fellow guitarist John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, but of course many of his later Latin / Pop explorations were also exemplary.
This album finds Carlos Santana coupled with Spanish vocalist / composer / poet BuikaFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Concha BuikaFind albums by this artist), who sings the lead vocals (in Spanish) on all the tracks, which she wrote the lyrics to. Carlos Santana composed or co-composed the music to all the eleven tracks on the album. The instrumental sound follows the classic Santana pattern with scorching lead guitar, Hammond organ, bass, drums and percussion.
The music, as the album´s title suggests, explores the polyrhythmic African tradition, heavily mixed with Latin and some Jazz influences. It definitely takes time to get into. Santana´s guitar is harsh and rocky, in contrast to his usual fluid and mellow tone, often so harsh that listening to the music becomes very difficult. Buika, who is considered as a talented singer, shouts almost non-stop, in a manner that can hardly be considered as singing, which again adds to the difficulty I experienced while listening to the music, produced by the famous producer Rick RubinFind albums by this artist at his studio. It is definitely quite strange for a producer of such fame to create an almost unlistenable product – perhaps a product of the MP3 aesthetics. I had to take the volume down almost to a whisper while listening to the album to be able to listen to it in its entirety.
Overall this is a very disappointing album and a sad 50th anniversary (and 25th studio album anniversary), which still shows Carlos Santana as a great guitarist, but surrounded by a sonic cacophonic disaster.
| | Updated: 07/07/2019Posted: 07/07/2019 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | SANTANA ~ BARBOLETTA
COLUMBIA 474685 (Barcode: 5099747468520) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1974 Released: 1995
7th album, featuring the SantanaFind albums by this artist Mk. II lineup with some distinguished guests like Brazilian percussionist Airto MoreiraFind albums by this artist and his wife the singer Flora PurimFind albums by this artist, and bass player Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist. The great bass player Doug RauchFind albums by this artist, who was responsible for the band’s pulsating rhythms, departed to be replaced by original Santana member David BrownFind albums by this artist. The album has a strong Brazilian feel mainly due to the presence of Airto and Flora and their version of Dorival CaymmiFind albums by this artist’s “Promise Of A Fisherman” is truly wonderful. Santana plays with confidence and his usual flair with Tom CosterFind albums by this artist’s keyboards filling in and him soloing occasionally, mostly on electric piano. This is a great Fusion album, which stands the test of time beautifully. Unfortunately this was the last of the “great” Santana albums. When Santana’s album sales started to show lower then usual figures, ColumbiaFind albums on this label executives pressured Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist to return to a more commercial output, and he eventually caved in. The remainder of the band’s output, although always full of brilliant moments, was to be haunted of sales potential (rather than musical) considerations. Carlos remains of course one of the greatest guitar players ever and his recorded legacy up to this album is an everlasting testimony to the greatness of the era.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | SANTANA ~ CARAVANSERAI
COLUMBIA 511128 (Barcode: 5099751112822) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2003
4th album, which reflects clear change of direction for the band (and the bandleader in particular) and initiating the entrance of SantanaFind albums by this artist into the world of Fusion. Following three phenomenally successful albums and a clearly defined style (perfected by five years of recording and touring) mixing rock with Latin and Jazz rhythms, the band was now in a turmoil, being torn apart by two conflicting tendencies. Some of the band members wished to continue the same path (stylistically) and others (especially Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist) wanted to move on to the next phase. In the period shortly preceding the recording of this album Carlos was exposed to two new major cultural influences. Fellow guitarists Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist and John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist introduced Carlos to the teachings of Guru Sri ChinmoyFind albums by this artist and he embraced these with passion. Santana’s drummer Michael ShrieveFind albums by this artist inaugurated Carlos into the burgeoning world of (then) contemporary jazz and Fusion of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, Weather ReportFind albums by this artist and Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, which he immediately fell in love with. All these new influences pushed Carlos further and further away from the old Santana style into Fusion, which would soon result in the collapse of the original line-up and the creation of a new band. CaravanseraiFind albums with this title is a crossroads album for the band, with several members playing here for the last time. Organist Gregg RolieFind albums by this artist and guitarist Neal SchonFind albums by this artist would leave soon after to form JourneyFind albums by this artist and new members, notably keyboards player Tom CosterFind albums by this artist and bassist Doug RauchFind albums by this artist would join. Since the album includes all of these wonderful players, the resulting music is truly exquisite. The dual lead guitar front line drives the melodic material to stratospheric heights and the expanded percussive rhythm section provides a soaring background. In spite of the “in transition” mood, the albums sounds cohesive and provides an uplifting musical continuum. The album was to be followed shortly by the divine Carlos Santana / John McLaughlin duet album Love, Devotion, SurrenderFind albums with this title and a series of outstanding albums like WelcomeFind albums with this title, IlluminationsFind albums with this title (with Alice ColtraneFind albums by this artist) and LotusFind albums with this title. An absolute classic!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | SANTANA ~ SANTANA (LEGACY EDITION)
COLUMBIA 90272 (Barcode: 827969027226) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2004
1st album by the sensational group SantanaFind albums by this artist led by guitarist Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist. Their elecrifying set at the Woodstock Festival brought them fame even before the debut album was released later in the year. The unique combination of latin rhythms, rock and jazzy improvisations made Santana one of the best and most successful groups in the 70`s and the music stands the test of time formidably. This beautiful edition includes the complete Woodstock performance as well as outtakes from the album session, which see the light of day here for the first time ever. Absolutelly Essential!
| | | CD 2 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | SANTANA ~ SANTANA IV
SONY 696859969492 (Barcode: 696859969492) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 2014 - 2015 Released: 2016
This is not a "lost" unreleased album by SantanaFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest and most inventive Rock bands in the history of modern music; this is the reunion album which assembles five of the original members of the band, who participated in the recording of Santana´s third album: guitarists Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist and Neal SchonFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Gregg RolieFind albums by this artist, drummer Michael ShrieveFind albums by this artist and percussionist Michael CarabelloFind albums by this artist. The band is further enhanced by the presence of bassist Benny RietveldFind albums by this artist and percussionist Karl PerazzoFind albums by this artist, both members of the current incarnation of the band. The album presents sixteen new songs, which were written by the band members over a period of two years.
Reunion albums are very perilous endeavors and the fact that this album is overall quite excellent is a true miracle. During the forty five years that passed between the release of Santana III and Santana IV, the musical world went through so many changes (all for the worse of course) that the sheer audacity of the band to ignore the odds and try to make an about-turn and create an album that continues the music the band played then is staggering. And yet, to a large extend they succeeded to accomplish the impossible and the music on this album is instantly recognizable as Santana circa early 1970s or at least originating in that period. After all Santana invented Latin Rock and over time no other band made any significant contribution to that genre or surpassed Santana´s abilities.
Of course not everything is perfect here: the material displays certain ups and downs and is not exactly in par with the tunes from the past. The vocals are somewhat trivial, which worked fine with the spontaneity of the original albums, but is not acceptable any more. The biggest problems lay within the production aspects of the album: the sound is way too sharp and dry and the mix is uneven and often hides instruments, especially the guitars, beneath the percussion racket. Rather than going for the contemporary sound this album would have benefited considerably from using a "retro" sound, emphasizing the continuity effect.
But all criticism aside, this is an ass-kicking album, which offers one and a quarter of an hour of genuine Rock, which very few other bands today are able even to come close to. So this, the twenty-third studio album by Santana, is definitely a most welcome rejuvenation effort, which is an absolute delight to be listened to, especially in comparison to the usual toxic waste the musical industry spews out every day. Hasta siempre amigos!
| | Updated: 18/07/2016Posted: 18/07/2016 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | CARLOS SANTANA ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS
SONY 886976260620 (Barcode: 886976260620) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1974 - 1980 Released: 2010
This Box Set collects reissues of three studio albums by the iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist, originally released on the ColumbiaFind albums on this label label between 1974 and 1980. They are: “IlluminationsFind albums with this title” (1974), “Oneness: Silver Dreams - Golden RealtyFind albums with this title” (1979) and “The Swing Of DelightFind albums with this title” (1980). All three were released under Santana’s Sanskrit name Devadip Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist given to him by Sri ChinmoyFind albums by this artist. These three albums followed Carlos Santana’s debut solo album recorded in collaboration with guitarist John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist entitled “Love Devotion SurrenderFind albums with this title” (1973).
“Illuminations” is a collaboration with pianist / harpist Alice ColtraneFind albums by this artist, the wife of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. SantanaFind albums by this artist (the group) keyboardist Tom CosterFind albums by this artist and percussionist Armando PerazaFind albums by this artist play on the album and Coster also co-composed three of the tracks. Jazz musicians: bassist Dave HollandFind albums by this artist, drummer Jack DeJohnetteFind albums by this artist and several others take part in the recording, as well as a large string section conducted by Alice Coltrane, who wrote the arrangements and co-composed one the tracks. A short chant by Chinmoy is the album’s opening track.
“Oneness: Silver Dreams - Golden Realty” presents fifteen relatively short compositions, most composed by Carlos Santana and is performed by a large group of musicians, including many Santana (the group) members. The first six tracks were recorded live and the rest were recorded in the studio.
“The Swing Of Delight”, originally a double LP, presents nine compositions performed by a large group of top Jazz musicians, including Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist, Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, Ron CarterFind albums by this artist, Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist and many others.
These three albums together with the a.m. “Love Devotion Surrender” album present some of the most spiritual and deeply Jazz influenced music that Carlos Santana created during his long-lasting career. The mixture of Indian spirituality, which he shared with many Jazz musicians at the time, and extensive / hypnotic Jazz improvisations are in retrospect some of his best achievements, and deserve to be cherished and remembered.
Side Note
The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label, the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label, the "5 Original AlbumsFind albums with this title" by UniversalFind albums on this label, the Box Sets by RhinoFind albums on this label and other similar releases are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard for the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires as to treat our Cultural Legacy with respect and loyalty.
The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. Most importantly these Box Sets don't include any booklet offering a historical background and perspective about the Artists and the Music, which are extremely important and vital to the preservation of our Culture and passing the knowledge to the next generations.
In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!
| | Updated: 13/09/2021Posted: 13/09/2021 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Recommend To A Friend |
  | CARLOS SANTANA / JOHN MCLAUGHLIN ~ LOVE DEVOTION SURRENDER
COLUMBIA 63593 (Barcode: 074646359327) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2003
This is the most quintessential Fusion album of all times. Although sadly neglected and almost forgotten (both by critics and listeners) over the years, it stands out as a beacon of musical enlightenment for posterity. The album came to be as a result of many parallel events and personal / musical paths crossings. Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist and John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist became close after becoming disciples of Guru Sri Chinmoy. Although they were both aware of each other’s work before this musical cooperation, they operated in quite separate musical areas. McLaughlin at this point had already a glorious career stretch behind him with his pioneering work on the UK Jazz-Rock scene, his revolutionary work with Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, the visionary contributions in the Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist LifetimeFind albums by this artist and of course his brilliant Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist output. Santana’s roots were deep into Latin music and rock, but he was rapidly transforming his musical focus into jazz and Fusion. Influenced by his band’s drummer Michael ShrieveFind albums by this artist, who was a jazz buff, Carlos discovered a new musical world and was swallowing everything he could lay his ears on. This included the works of Mahavishnu Orchestra, of which he was a devoted fan, but also the work of Miles Davis and John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. The actual get together was most probably orchestrated by ColumbiaFind albums on this label’s chief Clive DavisFind albums by this artist (both Santana and Mahavishnu Orchestra were signed by Columbia Records), suggesting a John Coltrane tribute album featuring both guitarists. The album was recorded almost immediately after Santana finished recording the pivotal CaravanseraiFind albums with this title album, which marked a series of dramatic changes both in the band’s musical direction (a move towards jazz and Fusion) and personnel changes (the forming of Santana Mk. II). A meeting of two great talents is always a dangerous affair, and this one could have proven either disastrous or absolutely divine – fortunately the latter did happen. The reason it did turn out to be such a success is twofold: First the musicians truly loved Coltrane’s music and felt the spiritual side of it (Coltrane went through a process of soul searching and seeking enlightenment in Eastern beliefs as well). Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” is really a musical mantra very similar to a Hindu chant, which of course is as much a spiritual music as it ever gets. The beautiful “Naima” (the other Coltrane composition featured here) is also deeply spiritual, as are the two McLaughlin’s compositions and the traditional chant, which serves as the base for the remaining track of the album. Having established the musical / spiritual base of the session the rest was up to the participating musicians, which (again) most fortunately turned out to be ideal. Both Santana and McLaughlin brought with them associate musicians – Carlos brought selected members of his band (Armando PerazaFind albums by this artist – congas, Doug RauchFind albums by this artist – bass and Michael Shrive – drums) and John brought Mahavishnu Orchestra members (Billy CobhamFind albums by this artist – drums and Jan HammerFind albums by this artist – drums(!)). Veteran jazz drummer Don AliasFind albums by this artist was also invited, but the greatest and perhaps most crucial role was entrusted upon the organ player Larry YoungFind albums by this artist – John’s former partner in Lifetime. Young provides the foundation and glue, which makes this session work. With two lead guitarists exchanging licks at the speed of light and the super-power expanded rhythm section pulsating mercilessly, this session would have never worked without Young’s brilliant work. He fills the spaces, provides the balance and the sanity, the ground on which the soloist are able to build their sky-high towers. Of course the main attraction is the spectacular work by the two soloists, so different and yet so completely complimentary of each other. Santana’s sublimely melodic feel (truly unparalleled to this very day) and McLaughlin’s extraordinary improvisational abilities just merge into one continuous flow of musical bliss. Their exchanges are in perfect harmony, not competing but supplementing each other – fire and grace incarnate. This remastered edition enhances the originally muddy sound tremendously and the two bonus tracks are priceless. There is nothing but Love of music, Devotion to talent and Surrender to divinity on this album, the Mother of all Fusion albums! Beyond essential!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | CARLOS SANTANA / BUDDY MILES ~ LIVE!
COLUMBIA 478089 (Barcode: 5099747808920) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 1995
By the end of 1971 the "Woodstock Era" version of the group SantanaFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist, was over and the leader decided to search for a new path for his artistic experimentations, which would bring him much closer to Jazz, Fusion and improvisation in general. After recording three brilliant albums, which defined Latin Rock as a genre, Carlos was looking for new musicians to form the second incarnation of Santana, which would be quite different, as we know in retrospect. In the interim period, which lasted just a few short months, Santana joined forces with drummer Buddy MilesFind albums by this artist (ex-Electric FlagFind albums by this artist, ex-Jimmy HendrixFind albums by this artist) creating a band, which played several live concerts, one of which was recorded for posterity and released as this album. The musicians comprise of several members of Santana, including the young guitarist Neal SchonFind albums by this artist, en extended percussion section with the best Latin players and a brass section. The resulting music, although hectic at times, is a great example of greatly talented musicians in process of searching new ways to mix Rock with the improvisational elements. The expanded improvised piece (almost 25 minutes long, which was side B of the original LP) is the most important and obviously the most advanced achievement of this meeting, sounding absolutely nothing like anything else at the time. In retrospect this stuff still sounds fascinating forty years later. A must to all Santana fans and wholeheartedly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | RYSZARD SYGITOWICZ ~ BEZ GRAWITACJI
GAD 029 (Barcode: 5901549197372) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1983 - 1984 Released: 2015
This is a reissue of an instrumental album by Polish guitarist / composer Ryszard SygitowiczFind albums by this artist, which was recorded during several sessions for the Polish Radio and released on a small independent label WifonFind albums on this label in 1985, achieving quite unexpectedly a big success on the local market at the time. This album includes, in addition to the nine tracks that were included on the original album, four bonus tracks originating from the same sessions. The music was recorded mostly in a trio format with bassist Arkadiusz ZakFind albums by this artist and drummers Dariusz SygitowiczFind albums by this artist or Wojciech MorawskiFind albums by this artist. Renowned Polish Jazz saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks and percussionist Adam LewandowskiFind albums by this artist on one track.
The music is a refined instrumental guitar oriented Jazz-Rock Fusion, which is comparable to similar efforts by Jeff BeckFind albums by this artist, Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist and many others and by all means not inferior to any of them. Sygitowicz has a great talent to weave wonderfully melodic themes and play them on his guitar with great feel, tone and skill. As a result these tracks sound as great today as they did at the time they were recorded, losing nothing of their validity over time.
Over the years Sygitowicz was a member of several Polish Rock ensembles and a busy session musician, which resulted in his leaving a mark on dozens of releases by numerous Polish recording artists. He is still very active on the local scene after spending some time in the USA in the late 1980s. In retrospect this album is still a highlight of his career and thanks to the splendid work of GADFind albums on this label Records we are able to enjoy this fabulous music again. Guitar connoisseurs and classic Jazz-Rock Fusion fans should have a field day with this gem!
| | Updated: 20/02/2016Posted: 20/02/2016 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ VIVA CARLOS!: A SUPERNATURAL MARATHON CELEBRATION
MASCOT 7210 (Barcode: 8712725721024) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
5th Fusion tribute album produced by Jeff RichmanFind albums by this artist (see the earlier John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, Miles DavisFind albums by this artist and Steely DanFind albums by this artist Fusion tributes). Sticking to the same formula, the producer sets up a “house band” (this time including Peter WolfFind albums by this artist – keyboards, Abe LaborielFind albums by this artist – bass, Dave WecklFind albums by this artist – drums and Luis ConteFind albums by this artist – percussion) and matches it with some of the best Fusion guitar players (this time Robben FordFind albums by this artist, Frank GambaleFind albums by this artist, Albert LeeFind albums by this artist, Pat MartinoFind albums by this artist, Mike SternFind albums by this artist and others). As the title suggests, the subject matter this time is the music of Carlos SantanaFind albums by this artist. Since this formula worked out splendidly on the previous four albums, there is no reason to suspect that things would go wrong this time, and indeed they don’t. The only problem might have been the choice of material from the vast SantanaFind albums by this artist repertoire, but fortunately only the best tunes were selected, all of them from his early and most fruitful years. The various guitar players, rather then to imitate Santana’s guitar sound and special technique, play in their own individual way, taking the music places often quite different from the origin. The entire album works out beautifully as a whole and Fusion fans (and guitar freaks) should have a field day with this stuff.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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