SANTANA — Ultimate Santana (review)

SANTANA — Ultimate Santana album cover Boxset / Compilation · 2007 · Latin Rock/Soul Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
AtomicCrimsonRush
Santana - Ultimate Santana - not really a compilation but new versions of old classics with a myriad of guest artists!

Carlos is the real star here and he is brilliant on guitar backed up by a whole slew of guest stars from Chad Kroeger to Tina Turner!

Not being a massive fan of Santana I can at least tell that this album is not really a great example of what this band is about. There is very little of the lengthy jams and scorching drums and Hammond. Instead a very mainstream sound that you may hear on the radio. Santana are important as jazz fusion progenitors. However the diversity of this band is not evident on this comp and the sound is so up to date and not really progressive.

Having said that the music is still great quality and Carlos is a master on that guitar. Highlights include She's Not There, Black Magic Woman, Samba Pa Ti, Evil Ways, Alex Band of The Calling with Why Don't You & I, Steven Tyler singing Just Feel Better, Europa (Earth's Cry Eaven's Smile), Oye Como Va, and Tina Turner singing The Game Of Love. There is a notable change in direction for Santana during the 2000s, as most bands were subject to, but it is still very well executed music. Carlos' interplanetary guitar sings, soars and swoops majestically on every track, the drums pound and you have to love those bongo and tom tom metrical patterns, very Latin at times, and quite hypnotic.

In summary, this is not the place to start to get into Santana. Its too different in comparison to their other releases. Grab hold of Ultimate Collection for a great compilation package and I recommend Caravanserai for awesome Jazz fusion!

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

More Is Fusion
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mozart Paradox Third Stream
THOMAS ENHCO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Jazzisdead Live Eclectic Fusion
RUINSZU
Buy this album from MMA partners
Avant Gonz Avant-Garde Jazz
JERRY BERGONZI
Buy this album from MMA partners
Julien Tassin, Heikki Ruokangas : Behind the Mask Jazz Related Improv/Composition
HEIKKI RUOKANGAS
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Mundoagua II Mundoagua
ARTURO O'FARRILL
js· 1 day ago
Brass Happy (Live)
DENNIS KYNE
js· 2 days ago
GoGo Penguin - Fallowfield Loops
GOGO PENGUIN
snobb· 2 days ago
Somewhere That's Green
DEB BOWMAN
js· 3 days ago
If I Try
TONY GREY
js· 3 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed