University of Virginia Library

Santana: A Unique Gathering Of Talent

By Gordon E. Hogg

Last Mother's Day, an odd and
unknown six piece band joined
Canned Heat and the Grateful Dead
to entertain the crowd of 10,000
which had gathered at a pop music
picnic in San Diego Stadium. The
group called itself the Carlos
Santana Blues Band, and its effects
on the audience, both musically
and emotionally, were at least
varied. Gathered around guitarist
Carlos Santana was a band of Latin
American jazz-rock blues musicians
who collectively produced a sound
that was completely alien and new
to the crowd. Some thought the
percussion too overbearing, others
considered Santana's guitar style
hideous and self-conscious, but the
great majority was mystified and
entertained by this new musical
hybrid.

Well, the band has now
shortened its name, recorded an
album (Columbia MS 9781), and
effectively established itself
through appearances at both the
Woodstock and Atlantic City pop
festivals, on national television, and
continues to appear throughout the
country at various single
engagements. Now known simply as
Santana, the group is enjoying an
ever-increasing burst of popularity,
and rightfully so, for it represents
one of the most unique gatherings
of style in modern popular music.

Santana's music cannot easily be
classified, for it is a carefully
balanced mixture representing the
varying musical heritage among the
group members. Carlos Santana
found the blues too restrictive for
his musical ideas, and his joining of
Latin, jazz and rock necessitated a
change of the group's name, and
more importantly, a change of their
musical image.

SANTANA

INCLUDING:
EVIL WAYS/JINGO
YOU JUST DON'T CARE
PERSUASION/WAITING

Certainly one of the most
refreshing sounds to evolve in a
long while, Santana's style is firmly
rooted in Latin rhythm and is
manipulated handily by all the
musicians in the group. Carlos
Santana is featured in various
capacities: as a driving rhythm
guitarist, a competent jazz musician
or a blues interpreter. Occasionally
his impressive and lightning-smooth
licks become slightly repetitious,
but nearly always his sense of
timing and balance redeem him.
Organist-vocalist Greg Rolle
provides a unifying factor of sorts,
bridging the rhythm gap that
sometimes appears between the
lead guitar improvisations and Dave
Brown's electric bass. The true
rhythmic heart of Santana lies in
the combines efforts of dual
percussionists Jose Chepito Areas
and Mike Carabello - they have a
complete knowledge of and
technical skill in Latin rhythms and
literally carry the band with them
on long musical excursions. Out of
conviction, perhaps, a rock
drummer was added during the
early stages of the band's
formation. Drummer Mike Shrieve
has rescued himself from the
possible role of babysitter and
stabilizer for Areas and Carabello
by displaying really original
technique on the drum set. He
refuses to challenge the
percussionists, but augments them
sensibly and tastefully, occasionally
breaking loose for a brief,
well-placed solo. Shrieve replaces
Bob Livingstone, who was with
Santana for their Mother's Day
performance, and according to a
review of that concert, the change
was needed.

Santana is a welcome sound in
popular music - new, boisterous,
and unafraid, it should keep on the
upswing as a "popular new group."
The group mixes the apparently
un-mixable, and offers it boldly to
an audience they seem to believe
will accept it and understand it for
what it's worth.