ABRAXAS

For me the greatest accomplishments of Carlos Santana were his late 1960's live performances captured to both 1969 Woodstock and 1970 San Francisco's Family Dog events, and followed by the collaborative solo works with John McLaughlin and Alice Coltrane. The discography of psychedelic pop rock pulsing with hot blood of Latin energies he released did not please me as much, though there are some pleasant qualities found on the records. The album from 1970 is possibly most known of them, denying to be left unnoticed from the record shelf by the striking vision of Mati Klarwein's painting "Annunciation" used on the album cover. Painted already on the early 1960's, Carlos was charmed by it and asked for possibility to have it on the record sleeve. This agreement was possibly a fruitful decision for both artists, the best-selling record giving fame also for the surrealist painter. The album itself has some pleasant atmospherics sound walls, and the guitar of Carlos cries beautifully on ethereal mood-creation sequences and accessible hit songs, most notably compositions like "Black Magic Woman" crafted with Peter Green, the joyful dancing tune "Oye Como Va" and slow romantic curves of "Samba Pa Ti". Somehow I personally felt still disappointed with this music, my mind contaminated by the purer spiritual musical expression found from his collaborative albums like "Illuminations" and "Love Devotion Surrender". The forthcoming "Caravanserai" record was more interesting album focusing to a full album length thematic aural journey, but this record has its own pop charms still certainly, and I understand the success it has gained during the years. Though not a soundtrack for contemplating the melancholic meaning of the world, a vivid album for the fun having and rejoicing the love of life with more direct approach.