The Essential Santana

Product Description:

Santana includes: Carlos Santana (vocals, electric guitar); Greg Rolie (vocals, organ, keyboards); Neal Schon (electric guitar); Michael Shrieve (drums); Pete Escovedo (percussion).

Additional personnel: John Lee Hooker (vocals).

Producers include: Brent Dangerfield, Fred Catero, Carlos Santana, Michael Shrieve, Bill Graham.

Compilation producer: Bob Irwin.

Recorded between 1969 & 1989. Includes liner notes by Ted Drozdowski.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Though they first came to prominence in the '60s psychedelic era amid many other forward-looking West Coast bands, Santana always stood out from the pack. Their mixture of atmospheric-yet-visceral rock with Latin rhythms and jazz touches made them unique at the time. Though many lesser bands followed in their footsteps (Anybody remember Macondo? Azteca? Didn't think so.), no one ever came close to the Santana sound. For those poor benighted souls who think Santana's story began with jillion-selling comeback album SUPERNATURAL, this effective two-disc anthology provides a perfect history lesson.

The first disc is full of the Quicksilver Messenger Service-meets-Tito Puente Latin pscyh jams that made Carlos and the boys famous ("Black Magic Woman," "Evil Ways," etc.). As the '70s wore on, Santana leaned towards a more jazz-fusion-oriented approach, also ably documented here ("In a Silent Way," "Love, Devotion & Surrender"). Though many decry the later output featured on disc two, it's only Santana's Clive Davis/comeback era (not covered here) that's truly execrable by fan standards. Sure, there's more of a mainstream pop-rock feel to the band's early-'80s, Alex Ligertwood-fronted phase, but who wants an artist to stand still for their entire career. Besides, 1980 hit "Winning" is the best song Steve Winwood never wrote.