SANTANA PART ONE: First

In High School I stumbled up all kinds of music and always came home with a decent size pile from the local record store or a tag sale.  I was like a kid at Christmas when I had a pile.  I would run to my record play and crank up the volume and have a moment of peace.  If I had something that I never heard I always played that first.  The next time I went to school I will tell my friends that I found these cool albums and once in a while I hide one in my backpack to show them.  I often go in trouble or made fun of, but I was okay with that because after all I was learning music to broaden my listing ear.

One album durning my quest at tag sales one day caught my eye.  It was, by the look of was a pen and ink drawing of a lion.  When I looked closer I could see more and more people in the lion.  I was quite taken back by the detail and the hiding of the people within the artwork.  Anyway when my dad saw the album he knew who they were.  I heard their music but had no clue about any of their albums.  It was a quick less from my dad and my uncle who happen to be over at the time of my finds.  "This was the best band at Woodstock," my uncle said.  "By far, we did not know who they were, but after their performance I wanted to get their music." That was a ringing endorsement and now I was really excited to listen to their music.

As soon as I heard the first tune I was hooked.  They were no joke, and their vocals were quite astounding. The guitar riffs, and the organ playing too.  The percussion was other worldly and it was awesome.  When "Evil Ways" was on the lightbulb on top of my head went off.  It was like a "oh yeah I know this tune." I quickly went through the roughly thirty-six minute album and I played it again.  I had a jaw drop moment and I loved everything about them. My dad told me after the second spin to play it again, but before I did he moved the speakers for better balance of the stereo.  He opened the windows and the door so the whole world could listen.

This album was on repeat for quite sometime in my house and over time I starting to remember the guitar solos of Carlos Santana and the great organ riffs of Gregg Rolie made me smile and smile with excitement.  When it came to Soul Sacrifice I felt I was part of the band, playing second lead to Carlos Santana.  Each of these songs were on fire.  It was so awesome.  Now I had to find more Santana to listen to.  This did not take long after a week of tag sales I accumulated about five other Santana albums.

After listening to all these Santana albums he was part of my regular record spinning rotation.  The big issue I had was where he fit into my spinning rotation.  I would always grab five albums on and play them.  I did not want to make the Santana album seem like it was being over played because  that could happen and like Classic Rock radio it would get boring.  I might have switched a different album by Santana, but every time I put his first one on it was always fresh.  Even today his album from 1969 is still amazing on how talented he and the rest of the band was.  No matter what other albums I put on Santana just left everyone in the dust.  I wish I was at Woodstock with my Uncle I would have seen first hand how talented they were.

This is the first of a few Santana that I like.  His music was different, and original and yet was Rock and Roll.  No one had changed music like Santana.  His use of Latin, Fusion, Blues, and Rock and Rock and Roll is something he will be remembered by.  He will also be remembered by his amazing guitar work.  This album made me a fan and this album also made me see how it could easily come together with all the mix of genres and styles. Santana is one of a kind and this album proved it.  Rock out this one and I promise you will love it just as much as I do.