Music review: Santana – 鈥楽antana IV鈥�
My earliest memories of Santana are fondly recalled from the band鈥檚 electrifying performance at Woodstock in 1969. No, I wasn鈥檛 there. I was only five years of age at the time. But a few years later, my oldest brother would defiantly blast his vinyl copy of the festival soundtrack on the family stereo console for all the neighbors to hear whenever our parents were out of the house.
Songs like 鈥淕oing Up the Country鈥� by Canned Heat, 鈥淚鈥檓 Going Home鈥� from Ten Years After and 鈥淔reedom鈥� by Richie Havens would consume our street and continue to fuel my early interest in all musical styles.
Of all the Woodstock performances, Santana鈥檚 鈥淪oul Sacrifice鈥� was the one track that always stood out for me. Over the next 20 years, I could always satisfy my Santana fix by borrowing an album or two from my brother鈥檚 extensive record collection.
For Santana鈥檚 latest studio release, Carlos Santana looks to recapture the classic Latin-tinged rock style showcased on 1971鈥檚 鈥淪antana III,鈥� which delivered such memorable arrangements as 鈥淏atuka,鈥� 鈥淣o One to Depend On鈥� and 鈥淓verything鈥檚 Coming Our Way.鈥�
Forty-five years later, the legendary guitarist performs with his original lineup from Santana鈥檚 third release featuring percussionist Michael Carabello, organist and lead vocalist Gregg Rolie, drummer Michael Shrieve and guitarist Neal Schon. Both Rolie and Schon would leave the band in 1973 to form Journey, and after the addition of vocalist Steve Perry for 1978鈥檚 鈥淚nfinity,鈥� Journey would go on to become one of the most popular rock bands of the early 1980s.
From the opening notes of the funky 鈥淵ambu鈥� to the tender closing of 鈥淔orgiveness,鈥� 鈥淪antana IV鈥� carries a vibrant energy as the band picks up right where it left off by delivering another stirring set of spirited songs possessing elements of blues, rock and Latin flavorings earlier offered on Santana鈥檚 first three albums.
The first single, 鈥淎nywhere You Want to Go,鈥� carries the same infectious vibe of 鈥淥ye Como Va鈥� as Rolie鈥檚 still stellar voice offers an open invitation singing, 鈥淪o tell me what you want to do/And where you want to go/We can fly, we can drive, we could walk, baby/I don鈥檛 know.鈥�
The impassioned guitar work of Santana and Schon sizzles and shines on the instrumental tracks 鈥淔illmore East鈥� and 鈥淓chizo,鈥� while Ronald Isley makes a guest vocal appearance on 鈥淟ove Makes the World Go Round鈥� and 鈥淔reedom in Your Mind.鈥�
The universal sound of vintage Santana is reborn on the 16 new tracks, evoking memories from that special period of 鈥淭hree Days of Peace and Music鈥� when the band stepped on stage and introduced themselves to the world.