Santana (music group)
Santana is a renowned Latin rock group led by Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana, known for its unique fusion of rock, jazz, and Latin influences. The band was formed in the 1960s in San Francisco, initially starting as the Santana Blues Band before adopting the name Santana. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1969, coinciding with their iconic performance at the Woodstock Music Festival, and produced popular hits like "Evil Ways" and "Jingo." Over the decades, Santana has experienced numerous lineup changes, reflecting a dynamic evolution in musical style from psychedelic rock to more jazz-infused sounds.
The group gained significant recognition, including multiple Grammy Awards, particularly with the 1999 album "Supernatural," which featured collaborations with artists such as Rob Thomas and Eric Clapton, resulting in massive hits like "Smooth." Despite fluctuations in popularity, Santana has maintained a dedicated fan base, and in recent years, Carlos Santana has brought together original members for reunions. As of 2024, Santana continues to perform and create new music, solidifying its legacy within the rock genre and beyond.
Santana (music group)
Santana is a Latin rock group headed by Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana. The band, which formed in the 1960s, has undergone many changes. It began as a psychedelic rock band and then adopted a more jazz-like style. It also underwent several lineup changes. Santana received much recognition and won several Grammy Awards. The original Santana lineup reunited in 2013. Carlos Santana enjoyed a successful solo career.
Origins of the Musical Group
Carlos Santana was born in Mexico and moved to San Francisco, California, in the 1960s. A guitar player, he and keyboardist/singer Gregg Rolie formed the Santana Blues Band in 1966. Other musicians came and went in the band. Bassist David Brown and conga player Mike Carabello signed on for a time. As of 1967, the band's lineup included Carlos Santana, Rolie, Brown, drummer Bob Livingston, and percussionist Marcus Malone. The following year, the band changed its name to Santana and signed to Columbia Records.
In 1969, Livingston and Malone left the band, and Carabello rejoined the lineup along with drummer Michael Shrieve and percussionist Jose Areas. Santana released its self-titled debut album that year and played the Woodstock Music Festival. Santana made the top five on the musical charts and netted the singles "Jingo" and "Evil Ways." The album sold more than two million copies and stayed on the charts for more than two years.
Santana released its second album, Abraxas, in 1970. It claimed the top spot on the charts and sold more than four million copies. It produced the hit singles "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va." Also in 1970, the band added guitarist Neal Schon. Santana III was released in 1971 and featured percussionist Coke Escovedo, among other guest performers. It was also a hit. After a tour, Santana broke up, but Carlos Santana retained the rights to the band's name.
Lineup Changes
Santana reorganized with previous members Rolie, Shrieve, Areas, and Schon and added pianist Tom Coster, percussionist James Mingo Lewis, percussionist Armando Peraza, guitarist/bassist Douglas Rauch, and percussionist Rico Reyes, among several others. The band released Caravanseraiin 1972. It went platinum and received a Grammy Award nomination.
More changes came to the lineup, and the fifth album, Welcome (1973), featured Carlos Santana, Shrieve, Areas, Coster, Peraza, Rauch, keyboardist Richard Kermode, and singer Leon Thomas. The album went gold. Santana's Greatest Hits came in 1974, and the album went double platinum.
The band's sixth album, Borboletta (1974), featured Carlos Santana, Shrieve, Areas, Coster, Peraza, Brown, saxophonist Jules Broussard, and singer Leon Patillo, among other guests. The album hit gold status. After undergoing some changes and reverting to its previous sound, the band released Amigos in 1976. More changes came for 1977's Festival, which featured Carlos Santana, Coster, Areas, Patillo, drummer Gaylord Birch, percussionist Raul Rekow, and bassist Pablo Tellez.
Carlos Santana, Rekow, Escovedo, Peraza, Greg Walker, drummer Graham Lear, bassist David Margen, keyboardist Chris Rhyne, and guitarist/keyboardist Chris Solberg teamed for the 1978 album Inner Secrets, which was certified gold. Carlos Santana debuted his first solo album, Illuminations, in 1979. He then teamed with Rekow, Lear, Margen, Peraza, Solberg, singer Alex Ligertwood, and keyboardist Alan Pasqua for Marathon (1979).
Saw Decline
In 1981 came Zebop!, which featured Carlos Santana, Rekow, Lear, Margen, Peraza, Ligertwood, keyboardist Richard Baker, and percussionist Orestes Vilató. Rolie again joined the lineup for the 1982 album Shangó. It was the first album that did not reach gold status. Carlos Santana concentrated on his solo career and rejoined Santana for Beyond Appearances (1985), which also featured Rekow, Peraza, Ligertwood, Vilató, Walker, bassist Alphonso Johnson, and keyboardists David Sancious and Chester Thompson. The band's decline continued with this album.
The band held a twenty-year reunion concert in 1986 and was joined by numerous past band members. The following year, Buddy Miles joined Carlos Santana, Rekow, Peraza, Vilató, Johnson, Thompson, Coster, and Lear for Freedom, but it was not well received. Also in 1987, Carlos Santana released his solo effort Blues for Salvador, for which he won a Grammy Award.
In 1990, the band (Carlos Santana, Peraza, Thompson, Ligertwood, drummer Walfredo Reyes, and bassist Benny Rietveld) released Spirits Dancing in the Flesh. Its sales lagged. The same year, Santana ended its affiliation with Columbia. It then signed with Polydor Records and released Milagro in 1992 with Carlos Santana, Thompson, Ligertwood, Reyes, Rietveld, and percussionist Karl Perazzo. This album also showed the decline of the band. Undeterred, the band released Sacred Fire: Live in South America (1993), featuring Carlos Santana, Thompson, Ligertwood, Reyes, Perazzo, singer Vorriece Cooper, bassist Myron Dove, and guitarist Jorge Santana (Carlos Santana's brother). After another disappointment, several band members worked on solo projects.
Comeback
In 1998, Santana (consisting of Carlos Santana, Areas, Brown, Carabello, Rolie, and Shrieve) was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It then signed with Arista, and Carlos Santana worked with other artists such as Wyclef Jean, Eric Clapton, Lauryn Hill, Rob Thomas, and Dave Matthews for the 1999 album Supernatural. It garnered the singles "Smooth" and "Maria Maria," which along with the album hit number one on the charts. The album was a huge success, selling more than ten million copies and netting nine Grammy Awards. Next came Shaman in 2002 with guest artists such as Macy Gray, Michelle Branch, and Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. It sold more than two million copies.
In 2005, Carlos Santana teamed with artists such as Steven Tyler, Joss Stone, and Bo Bice for All That I Am. Carlos Santana then concentrated on other projects; in 2010, he released Guitar Heaven, which featured collaborations "Whole Lotta Love" with Chris Cornell and "Photograph" with Chris Daughtry. It saw moderate success but failed to reach gold status. Carlos Santana then started his own label, Starfaith, and released Shape Shifter (2012). In 2013, Carlos Santana announced that he was getting the original 1960s lineup back together (Schon, Rolie, Shrieve, Carabello, and Malone).
In 2014, Santana released Corazón, which features tracks with artists such as Gloria Estefan and Pitbull. The musician's other albums include Santana IV (2016) and Africa Speaks (2019). For his 2021 album, Blessing and Miracles, Santana collaborated with singers and record producers such as Chris Stapleton and G-Eazy. The album also features the single "Move," featuring Santana and Matchbox 20 singer Rob Thomas.
I In 2023, Rolling Stone named Carlos Santana the eleventh greatest guitarist of all time. During the same year, the documentary Carlos was released in theaters. As of 2024, Santana continued to perform.
Bibliography
Azzopardi, Chris. "'Carlos' Review: Santana's Soulful Legacy." The New York Times, 28 Sept. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/movies/carlos-the-santana-journey-review.html. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
"Carlos Santana Biography." The Official Web Site of Carlos Santana, 2024, www.santana.com/Carlos-Santana-Biography/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
"Santana." AllMusic, 2024, www.allmusic.com/artist/santana-mn0000295756. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
"Santana Biography." Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,rockhall.com/inductees/santana/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
"Santana." Rolling Stone, www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/santana/biography. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.