Anyone got/heard the new (old) Santana line up?

axisus

I liked the old Neal schon Santana period, I was wondering if they have captured any of the magic from before? Anyone heard them?

scrumhalf

There's some stuff on youtube. They sound very good. It would appear that they are playing the old stuf as they used to, and not the more recent solo Santana versions.

However, I thought that Rolie had left them, again.

steamabacus

Has he reformed the 'Caravanserai' line-up then? That was my favourite Santana period. I'm always wary of reformations, though - they rarely recapture the magic of a particular time and place in the past.

Philly_Q

steamabacus said:

Has he reformed the 'Caravanserai' line-up then? That was my favourite Santana period. I'm always wary of reformations, though - they rarely recapture the magic of a particular time and place in the past.

Pretty much, it's basically the lineup from Santana III (my favourite), with Benny Rietveld on bass instead of David Brown, because the latter is no longer with us.

I've listened to Santana IV a few times, it's definitely much better than the recent "guest vocalists" cack, but not quite up to the standard of the early albums.  Some of the lyrics (by Rolie?) are pretty cringeworthy, but he's in good voice.

mburekenge

some good stuff. Production is a bit modern and shiny if you like that more rootsy early santana sound. 

EricTheWeary

Second Santana Discussion this week! 

I've got IV somewhere. I've probably never carefully listened to it but my impression is that Carlos does what he's been doing for the last twenty years - not listen to the bloody song and just noodles in an alloted space. I liked his earlier melodic Hank Marvin on crack type playing better. Having said that I should revisit it and give it another chance. 

richardhomer

EricTheWeary said:

Second Santana Discussion this week! 

I've got IV somewhere. I've probably never carefully listened to it but my impression is that Carlos does what he's been doing for the last twenty years - not listen to the bloody song and just noodles in an alloted space. I liked his earlier melodic Hank Marvin on crack type playing better. Having said that I should revisit it and give it another chance. 

I agree his playing has become more 'scatter gun' over time.

As I said in the other Santana thread, he never topped his playing on Moonflower to me. His phrasing, note choice and sheer melodicism was astonishing on some of that stuff.

By the time his PRS period started - he seemed to just noodle.

At his best, I still consider him to be one of the true greats of the instrument.

scrumhalf

The lyrics on IV are awful - oh-this-is-such-a-lovely-world-and-why-don't-we-all-love-each-other stuff.

Belt up and play your instruments.

Philly_Q

richardhomer said:

EricTheWeary said:

Second Santana Discussion this week! 

I've got IV somewhere. I've probably never carefully listened to it but my impression is that Carlos does what he's been doing for the last twenty years - not listen to the bloody song and just noodles in an alloted space. I liked his earlier melodic Hank Marvin on crack type playing better. Having said that I should revisit it and give it another chance. 

I agree his playing has become more 'scatter gun' over time.

As I said in the other Santana thread, he never topped his playing on Moonflower to me. His phrasing, note choice and sheer melodicism was astonishing on some of that stuff.

By the time his PRS period started - he seemed to just noodle.

At his best, I still consider him to be one of the true greats of the instrument.

Have you heard the Guitar Heaven album from a few years ago, featuring covers of (amongst many others) Back in Black, Smoke on the Water and Whole Lotta Love?  I'm not sure if it's hilarious or depressing.  Every track sounds exactly the same apart from the different guest vocalists - glossy pop-rock production, loads of little guitar fills (just like Smooth) and The Carlos Santana Guitar Solo (TM).