Santana - Abraxas(1969)

Santana’s debut album, boosted by their dynamic performance at Woodstock, had shimmied into the US top 5. In an era of turgid blues jams, Santana’s danceable, sexy blend of blues, jazz and latin music certainly made them distinctive, as well as hot favourites at Bill Graham’s FillmoreWest.

It was at Graham’s suggestion that the band decided to concentrate more on writing their own material rather than relying on cover versions which would inevitably serve as launch pads for their inspired improvisations. However, its two best remembered tracks are both covers – Fleetwood Mac’s Black Magic Woman and Tito Puente's "Oy Como Va". The former boosts the bluesy shuffle of Peter Green’s original into a full blown samba, before shifting seamlessly into "Gypsy Queen", originally by Hungarian jazz guitarist GaborSzabo.

However, the band’s own contributions more than matched these standards. Dispelling any notions that the band bearing his name was a benign dictatorship, Carlos only contributes one track, the jazzy Samba Pa Ti, while keyboard player Greg Rolie’s Hope You’re Feeling Better provided them with another hit single.

Throughout, the combination of Carlos’ ringing, fluid guitar lines, Rolie’s organ and the endlessly inventive percussion section is a joy, and deservedly cemented Santana’s reputation as one of the most inventive and exciting bands of their era.




1. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts 4:51
2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen 5:19
3. Oye Como Va 4:19
4. Incedent At Neshabur 5:00
5. Se a Cabo 2:52
6. Mather's Daughter 4:28
7. Samba Pa Ti 4:48
8. Hope You're Feeling Better 4:17
9. El Nicoya 1:39
10. Guajira 3:48