Essential Santana Review

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Essential Santana ReviewThis new 2 cd set from Santana is a good value. It is probably aimed at fans only aware of Carlos Santana's last two guest filled albums. It is a pretty handy set though. The material is from his tenure at Columbia records from 1969-1989. The set illustrates Santana's varied influences from latin, blues, rock, and jazz. The first disc contains material from the first and best incarnation of his band which featured Gregg Rolie on keyboards and vocals, Michael Shrieve on drums, Neal Schon on second guitar and the standard for Santana, a fiery latin percussion section. The material for this classic period includes a cover of Willie Bobo's (a big early influence) "Evil Ways", "Soul Sacrifice" and a medley of Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman" and Gabor Szabo's "Gypsy Queen". The Latin "Oye Como Va" and "No One To Depend On" based on another Willie Bobo song are notable. The live version of Miles Davis' jazz/fusion classic "In A Silent Way" is worth the price of the set alone. Material from Santana's team up with jazz/fusion guitarist John McLaughlin is also included. However, a number of essential cuts like "Persuasion", a cover of jazz saxophonist Gene Ammon's "Jungle Strut", and early instrumentals "Incident At Neshabur" and the great "Song Of The Wind" are omitted.
The second disk begins his transition to more single oriented material. It is beneficial in that it summarizes the better material from some of his weaker albums. The second disk includes covers the the Zombies' "She's Not There", Buddy Holly's "Well Alright" via Blind Faith, and Russ Ballard's "Winning". A rare live version of the Latin workout "Dance Sister Dance" and rockers like "Open Invitation" and "All I Ever Wanted" also make the cut. However, cuts like "Europa", "Aqua Marine" and "Blues For Salvador" show why Carlos Santana's Mike Bloomfield influenced guitar playing is highly admired. Not only can he play fast and flashy when necessary but he also has good sense of when to play slower and invoke real feeling in his playing. Last but not least is a duet with blues icon John Lee Hooker on "The Healer". The second disk is only 74 minutes long so another song or two could have been added to the set.
The set provides a good introduction to those curious about Santana's earlier work. The second disk summarizes some his singles from his spottier late seventies and eighties albums. While his first three albums are essential this set successfully shows the varied styles and influences of the latin/rock pioneer Carlos Santana.Essential Santana OverviewCarlos himself chose the 33 tracks on this nicely annotated, limited-edition overview! Includes Evil Ways; Jingo; Soul Sacrifice; Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen; Oye Como Va; Samba Pa Ti; Love, Devotion and Surrender (previously unavailable in the U.S.!); She's Not There; Everybody's Everything; Stormy; Well All Right; Winning; Hold On , and more.

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Shaman Review

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Shaman ReviewI've been a devoted Santana fan for most of his career. Heck, I remember buying his first album on vinyl shortly after it was originally released. I've probably bought more of his releases over the years than any other single artist I follow. I've seen him live many times, going all the way back to the 70's, and always treasured the experiences.
With all that said, I was thrilled to see him come back into public aclaim with "Supernatural". While concerned somewhat about the commercialism of that release, it was a fresh enough approach that I could enjoy it, and be happy for Carlos because of the renewed attention it brought him. And for the long-time Santana fan, there was still enough traditional Santana sound there to enjoy.
However, with "Shaman", I feel he goes overboard with the multi-artist/colaborator approach, and at the same time, doesn't infuse enough traditional Santana music in the mix. "Shaman" unfortunately displays the all-too-American approach to marketing: if they liked it the first time, let's do it bigger, louder, and longer next time.
Musically, there's little new here since "Supernatural". Some of the guest artists are really questionable, talent-wise. It seems they just wanted to stuff this CD as full as possible with diverse individuals. Listening to the CD, I was struck by how common most of Carols' guitar licks sounded - it seems I've heard them all before, many times. In itself that isn't a bad thing, but given he's in the support on most of these tracks, it becomes all the more noticable. Sonically, the release suffers on many tracks from the type of compression typically found on commercial pop releases. It's mixed to sound ok on the car radio or an average stereo. Audiophiles with revealing, high-quality systems will lament the lack of sonic potential.
Most disturbing was noticing in the liner notes a page dedicated to plugging "Carlos by Carlos Santana Licensed Products". Everything from women's shoes to sunglasses to inspirational cards. I know that given the complete derth of talent being released by the record companies these days, even a release this commercial from Carlos Santana stands heads above the average. But do they have to hang every commercial opportunity possible on his shoulders? Or is it his choice to allow all this? In any event, it screams "sell out!".
While this CD may garner some Grammy's (unlikey to be as successful as it's predecessor, but given the state of music releases these days, anything's possible), it finds a slightly unwelcome home in this fan's Santana collection. But artists have to grow in their unique ways, and I hope this eventually inspires new, and more fittingly "Santana" creations in the future.Shaman OverviewHas some surface marks but plays well. Buy with confidence--see my feedback. Thanks and enjoy this great CD!

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Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra (2006) Review

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Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra (2006) ReviewAs the previous reviewers have stated, this particular show was absolutely amazing! As a fan of the band since 1989 and having seen 37 DT shows to date, this show tops them all and I am proud to say that I was there!
However, unlike those previous reviewers, I've actually managed to get a copy of this DVD ahead of time, and after watching it, I can say for certain that this DVD *is* DT's best yet! Mike Portnoy pulls out all the stops in making sure that this DVD tops everything else they've done thus far. The picture quality is gorgeous - better than Live at Budokan, if that can be believed. I was told by someone who worked on the project that extra attention was put in the details to ensure that every single frame was perfect, and it shows! The sound itself is also a thing of beauty - even the stereo mix is not the traditional AC3 encoding, but rather the superior PCM encoding. The actual mix is very well done by Michael Brauer and is balanced nicely, allowing each of the musicians to shine throughout. It is quite evident that every bit of space on the DVD was used.
I won't go on about the actual songs themselves, as you can read many reviews of the actual show to learn about them. However, I would like to point out that while the song selection is not to everyone's taste (as is evident from the other reviews), Mike Portnoy continues to give the fans the most bang for their buck by not having the same songs on every DVD like many other bands do - the only "overlapping" songs on this DVD compared to their previous DVDs are some parts of the song Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (as found on Live at Budokan), The Spirit Carries On and Metropolis pt. 1 (found on Scenes From New York) and Under a Glass Moon (on Live in Tokyo).
One other thing to add is that seeing the orchestra perform with the band is absolutely stunning - something to behold and the final song (Metropolis pt. 1) proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The second DVD showcases 3 bonus tracks (Another Day, The Great Debate and Honor Thy Father) which are taken from older shows; they are nice to have to round out the collection, but it should be noted that the picture and sound quality are not to the same standards as on the first DVD. Still their inclusion is worth having seeing as live performances of these songs have previously been unavailable on DVD. Also on the second DVD is the animation that was played during the song Octavarium, so if you happened to miss watching it during the show you were at, now you'll have the chance to watch it in full.
The best part of the second DVD has to be the documentary showing the history of the band from the days of being at Berklee School of Music up to the present day. Definitely a good look into DT's history, and a great companion to the book that Rich Wilson is writing on DT (www.dreamtheaterbook.com). My only real complaint on the documentary is that it isn't long enough, but surely Rich's book will fill in many of the stories and details missing in the documentary.
All in all, this release is definitely a labor love for the fans. No DT fan's collection will be complete without it. Also, both the show itself and the documentary serve as a great way to introduce DT to those who are just beginning to learn about them. I give this DVD the highest recommendation I possibly can! Stop reading these reviews and buy this thing - you won't regret it!!!Dream Theater - Score: 20th Anniversary World Tour Live with the Octavarium Orchestra (2006) OverviewThis DVD features the grand finale concert of the "20th Anniversary Tour", recorded live at Radio City Music Hall on April 1, 2006. Disc One is footage of the concert, and Disc 2 includes bonus features. Track Listings: The Root Of All Evil [Set 1] I Walk Beside You [Set 1] Another Won [Set 1] Afterlife [Set 1] Under A Glass Moon [Set 1] Innovence Faded [Set 1] Raise The Knife [Set 1] The Spirit Carries On [Set 1] Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence: [Set 2] I. Overture [Set 2] II. About To Crash [Set 2] III. War Inside My Head [Set 2] IV. The Test That Stumped Them All [Set 2] V. Goodnight Kiss [Set 2] VI. Solitary Shell [Set 2] VII. About To Crash (Reprise) [Set 2] VIII. Losing Time/Grand Finale Vacant [Set 2] The Answer Lies Within [Set 2] Sacrificed Sons [Set 2] Octavarium: [Set 2] Intro [Set 2] I. Someone Like Him [Set 2] II. Medicate Me [Set 2] III. Full Circle [Set 2] IV. Intervals [Set 2] V. Razor's Edge [Set 2] Encore: Metropolis [Set 2]

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Octavarium Review

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Octavarium ReviewSince 1994, Dream Theater has followed an uncanny pattern in album excellence. "Awake" was unbelievable - "Falling Into Infinity" was pretty good - "Scenes From a Memory" is the best album of all time - "Six Degrees ..." has its creative merits - "Train of Thought" is an unstoppable beast. So, by this logic, their next album will be good, but not a towering sonic monolith.
So, is this a self-fulfilling prophecy? It's hard to tell.
"Octavarium", Dream Theater's ninth studio album, is definitely a change in direction from "Train of Thought", which was a guitar-heavy album. Dream Theater's newest release is an atmospheric composition that focuses more on symphonic keyboard textures than it does on meaty guitar riffs. This particular ambience (along with the addition of a symphony) has taken over the spotlight, making each song more structured, accessible and consistently catchy, which was not the case with their last release. Petrucci and Rudess' virtuoso deliveries (more commonly known as "shredding") are kept down to an absolute minimum on this album. One may suppose that the band realized that the songs on "Train of Thought" were following a decipherable pattern: intro, verse, chorus, long instrumental fireworks, chorus, finish.
So what do we have, exactly? We have an album that explores various areas of the progressive world. We have "The Root of All Evil", a continuation of Portnoy's multi-album suite (beginning with "The Glass Prison" and continued by "This Dying Soul"), which starts the album on a relatively heavy note. In it's 8-minute run, it re-visits riffs, rhythms and even lyrics from its predecessors (namely "I can feel my body breaking - shaking") and a shaky, unimpressive chorus that borrows from James LaBrie's forgettable experience with Tim Donahue. "Panic Attack" is a look back to Liquid Tension Experiment's rapid fire guitar riffs and blitzkrieg drums, never slowing down in its spectacular 8-minute duration. It is the fastest Dream Theater song to date and an explosive standout track.
Aside from those songs, the rest of the album is considerably slower and softer than anything we have heard from Dream Theater since the collection of ballads found on 1997's "Falling into Infinity". The serene "The Answer Lies Within" begins with the sounds of crickets and a lonely piano, leading into a soothing song where Rudess' delicate melodies journey alongside a quiet troupe of strings, which have a brief "solo" where Petrucci would normally show off. The song is very (and I mean *very*) reminiscent of "The Spirit Carries On" in its folksy, feel-good song construction and melodies. But it is nowhere near as poppy or infectious as the upbeat, radio-ready "I Walk Beside You", which is the closest Dream Theater has come to sounding like Hoobastank or the Goo Goo Dolls. It's still a great song, despite the predictable and sugarcoated rock riffs.
Speaking of predictability, Dream Theater have yet another politically interested song, following in the footsteps of 2001's "The Great Debate" and 2003's "In the Name of God". In fact, this album's 10-minute "Sacrificed Sons" is, most accurately described, "In the Name of God Part 2" with the same lyrical theme (religious fanaticism) and similar threatening atmospheres as its predecessor.
Then there's the surprise. The 24-minute prog-rock title track. I didn't know what to make of "Octavarium" at first as it was a complete surprise. It is a total departure from "A Change of Seasons" (the band's other 20+ minute epic). It seems that Portnoy's prog-rock experiences with Transatlantic have leaked out into Dream Theater. The metal is gone, replaced by a softer rock that sounds a lot like IQ and Spock's Beard with synchronized guitars and keyboards, and a myriad of different sounds (like juxtaposing a solitary acoustic guitar for a few seconds and stomping on it with a catchy prog melody). After the first painfully long four minutes, the guitars kick in, paving the way for a truly memorable experience, headlined by acoustic guitars, soothing vocals, lots of piano, a curious flute (a surprise) and later a full symphony (a shock).
The symphony is difficult to digest. Dream Theater have always proved to be masters of their craft by working wonders with their instruments - and their instruments only. Now we have a symphony adding a supporting fill to their already organic songs. Fortunately, it isn't ubiquitous (à la Nightwish's "Once") or thinly spread out (à la Pain of Salvation's "BE"). Instead, it's prominent and heavy at select times like an active volcano. The strings punch out in short bursts at the majestic end of "These Walls", subtly guide the keyboards of "The Answer Lies Within" and, with the help of some horns, bring "Octavarium" to a stunning finish.
Every song on the album is unique one way or another (except "Never Enough", which doesn't take off until its instrumental delivery 2/3 of the way into the song) and form the parts of yet another great Dream Theater release. Although the album may not survive the test of time like "Images and Words" or "Scenes From a Memory" have, it is still a delightful listen and an impressive creative output.
Sure, they *are* my all-time favorite band, so my standards are extremely high. Despite the surprises and occasionally awkward moments, "Octavarium" passes my intense scrutiny.
See also: Dream Theater - "Falling into Infinity", Dream Theater - "Images and Words", Transatlantic - "SMPT:e", Spock's Beard - "V"Octavarium OverviewDream Theater has maintained a rare combination of stellar musicianship and unwavering passion for over a decade, selling millions of albums and filling concert venues worldwide. The band once again confirms its status as progressive hard rock's standard-bearers on their latest studio epic, Octavarium.

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Santana - Sacred Fire (1993) Review

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Santana - Sacred Fire (1993) ReviewForget "Supernatural Live," this is the real deal if you want a live-in-concert DVD that has music from all phases of Carlos Santana's evolving career.
This 18-song, 97-minute offering is the finest visual document of a live performance by Santana currently available on DVD, and till they start releasing his classic shows from the 1960s and 1970s, this is the way to go.
The songs span the heady 1960s ("Jingo" and "Soul Sacrifice" from the self-titled debut album) to the 1990s ("Make Somebody Happy" from the Milagro album that marked the beginning of a comeback cycle that ended with Supernatural).
Add to the fact that the concerts on this DVD were filmed in Mexico City in 1993 while Santana was touring on the strength of his excellent Milagro album, and the presence of Alex J. Ligertwood (in my humble opinion, the finest of many vocalists who have worked with Santana's band), and you have a great package on your hands.
The image is inconsistent, ranging from very sharp to slightly blurry, but that's okay when you consider the DVD comprises footage filmed on videotape almost a decade ago. There is no visible bleeding of colours and the editing is clean, lingering long enough on individual players instead of the totally unnecessary rapidfire cuts pioneered by MTV.
The downsides? You get only LPCM stereo and Dolby Surround 2.0 soundtracks and the video is not 16x9 enhanced. Plus, the DVD has NO extras at all. Makes you wonder if a special eition is in the works!!Santana - Sacred Fire (1993) OverviewSACRED FIRE:LIVE IN MEXICO - DVD Movie

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Moonflower Review

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Moonflower ReviewDid you know that Santana's 1999 smash succes "Supernatural" was his first million-seller since 1977's "Moonflower"? And there is a good reason for it. The original double vinyl album mixed up new studio tracks with live versions of older nuggets, and works spendidly.
"Moonflower" (2 CDS, 19 tracks, 97 min.) became a mega-seller primarily due to the (unexpected) succes of its lead-off single, a Latinized cover of the Zombies' "She's Not There". Other singles followed, including "I'll Be Waiting", and "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)", a beautiful 'Samba Pa Ti'-like instrumental with awesome guitar solos from Santana (it was a HUGE hit in Europe, where I grew up). But there are many other nuggets, such as "Flor d'Luna (Moonflower), another beautiful instrumental. The live tracks are pretty darn good too, including the "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" medley, and the 14 min. blowout "Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands & Feet", outstanding!
This remastered edition, in addition to the superb sound, adds the single versions of "She's Not There", "I'll Be Waiting" and "Black Magic Woman". In all, "Moonflower" is a terrific album all around. Notwithstanding the mega-succes of "Supernatural", I wish that Santana would go back to the well of the sound of the older days, documented so well on "Moonflower".Moonflower Overview

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Supernatural Live: Santana (2000) Review

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Supernatural Live: Santana (2000) Review"Supernatural Live" is one of the great recent concerts I've seen. And on DVD it looks fabulous. This is a great work of art that showcases what good music really is. Carlos Santana remains like Jimi Hendrix one of the enduring guitar gods of our time. Here he performs along with some great artists timeless music. And the concert technically is superb. The sets are beautiful (especially the illusion of stars in the background) and lighting absolutely stunning as well as the editing (I loved the wink to "Woodstock" with the three screen separation when the band performs "Gypsy Queen" and "Oye Como Va"). Santana has obviously come along way from his days in the late 60s and 70s as one of the revolutionary artists in rock. He shows here that age does not matter, it's the ART that counts. His guitar playing is in fact, superior to his previous work now more than ever. The songs here are wonderful too, especially "Love Of My Life" with Dave Matthews, which is a hypnotic love song that sets off atmosphere and mood into the listener. "Smooth" of course, remains the main attraction here and it remains a brilliant and exhilarating blend of rock, salsa and blues, the medley that goes with it, "Dame Tu Amor" is also fun. "Maria Maria" sounds like great street poetry and "Put Your Lights On" is a deep, dark meditation. I loved the duet with Sarah McLachlan of "Angel," which is a beautiful, absolutely moving song. Then there are the independent Santana band performances which are also excellent like "Africa Bamba," which is a great samba and "Migra" which is comic but also has something to say. All in all, "Supernatural Live" is a great experience. The best deal is with the DVD because these visuals look excellent on digital disc, not to mention you get the music videos for "Smooth," "Maria Maria," "Put Your Lights On" and "Corazon Espinado." A magnificent showcasing of musical talent.Supernatural Live: Santana (2000) OverviewA stage performance by Santana and guests with behind-the-scenes footage, music videos, a mini documentary and more.No Track Information AvailableMedia Type: DVDArtist: SANTANATitle: SUPERNATURAL LIVEStreet Release Date: 09/12/2000

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The Best Of Santana Review

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The Best Of Santana Review"The Best of Santana" greatly expands on the band's original Greatest Hits package, which only covered the late 60s and early 70s. Filled to capacity with 16 songs, this collection is about as complete as one can hope for in a single volume. It starts out with early classic rock radio staples like "Black Magic Woman," "Evil Ways," "Oye Como Va," and the cover of the Zombies "She's not There." The disc then moves on to more recent Santana hits like the new wave-ish "Winning," and "Hold On" before returning to the early days for some excellent lengthy jams like "Dance Sister Dance" and "Soul Scrifice." The only thing missing is any material from Santana's recent commercial comeback. The disc gets extra credit for not adding on any inferior "new" material like a lot of such packages do.
Overall, an excellent one volume anthology from one of classic rock's brighter stars.The Best Of Santana OverviewThe definitive single-CD Santana collection, with 16 newly remastered and resplendent tracks taken from their entire career! Includes Evil Ways; Soul Sacrifice; Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen; Oye Como Va; Samba Pa Ti; She's Not There; Jingo; No One to Depend On; Open Invitation; Hold On; Bella; Winning; All I Ever Wanted; Dance Sister Dance; Europa , and Everybody's Everything .

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Santana (1st Album) Review

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Santana (1st Album) ReviewThis is the first of three albums by the classic Santana lineup: Carlos Santana on guitar, Gregg Rolie on keyboards and vocals, Dave Brown on bass, Mike Shrieve on drums, and Jose Areas and Mike Carabello on percussion. The band shows a great improvement over the 1968 recordings at the Fillmore -- Carlos's playing is much more confident and inventive, the addition of Mike Shrieve loosens up the drumming, and Areas and Carabello bring out the Afro-Latin aspects of the music. At the same time, the band's sound is still strongly rooted in the blues (especially on "You Just Don't Care") and wouldn't fully achieve its potential until 1970's Abraxas. Nevertheless, many of the performances are absolute classics -- especially the fiery organ-guitar duel on "Waiting" and the explosive "Soul Sacrifice". Those familiar with Santana's radio hits will of course recognize "Evil Ways" and their chugging version of Olatunji's "Jingo", while the laid-back Latin groove of "Treat" provides a nice respite. And the bonus tracks, from the band's Woodstock performance, make this album even more essential: you get to hear exactly why the live performance of "Soul Sacrifice" blew away so many acid-drenched listeners at the festival. It's still speaker-frying 32 years later. If you like the stinging guitar and swirling organ of early Santana, their debut is a must-buy.Santana (1st Album) OverviewThe album that started it all-it hit #4 in 1969 and stayed on the charts for 108 weeks! Includes the Top 10 single Evil Ways ; their first charting single, Jingo , and the rest of the original album. The CD-only bonus tracks, recorded live at Woodstock, are Soul Sacrifice; Savor , and Fried Neckbones .

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Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged (1996) Review

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Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged (1996) ReviewMTV's Alice in Chains Unplugged will always stand as a testament to how great this band was, and having viewed it recently for the first time in years, I almost forgot how heart wrenching it was. From the beginning of the concert, you can plainly see that Layne Staley is high, even as the rest of the band jokes around and plays it off, it still comes off as tragic, but that didn't stop Layne from delivering a booming vocal performance. This Unplugged session was undoubtadly one of, if not the, best Unplugged's that MTV has ever put together. The rest of the band, including Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, Mike Inez, and special guest Scott Olsen, is unbelieveably tight knit. The set list is just about perfect (except there are no songs from "Facelift") including renditions of "Got Me Wrong", "Would?", "Rooster", "Frogs", "Heaven Beside You", "Nutshell", and "Brother", but the best here are the heart wrenching "Sludge Factory", "Angry Chair" (both of which Layne messes up, even though with "Sludge Factory" it is kind of humerous), and "Down in a Hole" and "Over Now" are enarly impossible not to draw a tear over. All in all, this is an absolute must have for any and every Alice in Chains fan. This is music with real emotion and soul; take that Staind.Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged (1996) OverviewItem Name: Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged [Region 2]; Studio:Sony

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Caravanserai Review

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Caravanserai ReviewI don't know about ya'll, but I'm about gettin tired of this "remastered" business. Firstly, at this stage of the game, many of these "remastered" albums are just being equalized from the previous digital copy (most likely a 16 bit Sony 1630 digital master), this release makes no mention of using the analog masters. For lovers of Caravansari, keep your old disc and save your money unless you just gotta have those extended liner notes. The other reviewer is absolutely correct....great album, one of Santana's most daring and experimental... a very rewarding listen, but the reissue is mostly about greed....cheap case and thinner disc than previous one with virtually identical sound. The remaster is a little brighter...which will make it more or less appealing depending on your tastes...but basically there is not enough difference to buy again. No bonus tracks either, they did'nt even do "super bit mapping" this time. Of the reissues by Santana, Abraxas is the only one that has some really good bonus material (live tracks from the same period) which makes it worthwhile. Get "Welcome" or "Love, Devotion Surrender" instead of this. Let me see if I'm understanding this correctly- "Hey what we sold you before was crap, and even the one after that, and sometimes the next one after that was crappy too...this new one is the good one"...if you want to believe it go ahead...usually the differences are small, once in a while you get a significant improvement, but the passage of time and it's effects on analog tape is making that less likely.Caravanserai Overview

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Ultimate Santana Review

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Ultimate Santana ReviewImagine if Capitol Records put out an ULTIMATE BEATLES collection, but didn't include anything from A HARD DAY'S NIGHT through SGT PEPPER. That's what ULTIMATE SANTANA feels like. There are six tracks from their classic first three albums: SANTANA (1969), ABRAXAS (1970) and SANTANA III (1971). Then (except for "Europa" from 1976's AMIGOS), none of the remaining tracks date back any further than 1999's SUPERNATURAL. In fact, more than half of the tracks on this collection come from Santana's "comeback" period when the band released three star-studded albums including SUPERNATURAL, SHAMAN (2002) and ALL THAT I AM (2005).
Longtime fans will be better served by 1998's single-disc THE BEST OF SANTANA or 2002's double-disc THE ESSENTIAL SANTANA. This latest collection is principally targeted for Santana's latter-day fans. There are flashes of brilliance with the big name cameos ("Smooth," for example, was a huge hit for a reason--it's a damn good song), but overall they pale in comparison to the band's seminal Seventies' work. If you're interested in Santana's work over the past decade (but don't want to purchase their last three albums), this does a nice job of catching you up.Ultimate Santana Overview

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Best Instrumentals (Sony) Review

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Best Instrumentals (Sony) ReviewHat's off to Sony for recognizing Santana's outstanding guitar playing ability and for taking the time to sift through a decades worth of music to isolate these instrumentals. Included on this CD is a tune from Santana's first release in 1969 "Soul Sacrifice", the incomparable "Blues for Salvador" from his 1987 release of the same name as well as "Europa" from the Amigos album. Overall, it's 71 minutes of great instrumentals that will save you countless hours of attempting to sort through this masters music just to isolate his instrumental works.Best Instrumentals (Sony) Overview

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