Santana Archive

Santana – Amigos – Columbia Records (1976)/Speakers Corners (2013) 

by Audiophile Audition | May 11, 2018 | Jazz CD Reviews, Pop/Rock/World CD Reviews, SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

Carlos Santana’s 1976 comeback album gets a terrific sonic upgrade. Santana – Amigos – Columbia Records PC 33576 (1976)/Speakers Corners (2013) 180-gram stereo vinyl, 41:14 *****: Mexican born guitarist Carlos Santana moved to San Francisco as a young child. He was already a trained musician, first in violin and then guitar. There is an array of business owners in The Mission District who still claim to have launched Santana into the vibrant Sixties music scene. As a teenager, Santana became a part of San Francisco rock lore. In 1966, at the Fillmore West (the Fillmore Auditorium at the time), he filled in for an “ailing” Paul Butterfield with an all-star band of local rockers. The rest is history. Bill Graham embraced the musical phenom and the rapid ascent to stardom was underway. The combination of hard rock and Latin/African jazz rhythms was unique. The addition of timbales and congas made the percussion stand out. The lineup for the first self-titled album included Greg Rolie (vocals, organ, piano), Dave Brown (bass), Michael Shrieve (drums), Michael Carabello (congas) and Jose Chepito Areas (timbales). The album yielded a hit single, “Evil Ways”. More importantly, Santana delivered the breakout performance at Woodstock with a […]