Abraxas (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Abraxas
Type = studio
Artist = Santana


Released = September 1970
Recorded = April 18–May 2, 1970 at Wally Heider Recording Studio, San Francisco
Genre = Blues-rock, Latin Rock, Jazz fusion
Length = 37:32 (Original LP) 51:08 (1998 remastered edition)
Label = Columbia KC-30130
Producer = Fred Catero, Carlos Santana
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:36xsa9ygl230 link]
*Review-Christgau|C+|album=3101
*"Rolling Stone" (favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/santana/albums/album/230931/review/6067702/abraxas 1970] [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6598896/205_abraxas 2003]
*Warr.org Rating|4|5 [http://www.warr.org/santana.html#Abraxas link]
Last album = "Santana" (1969)
This album = "Abraxas" (1970)
Next album = "Santana III" (1971)

"Abraxas" is the second album by Santana, the Latin rock n' roll group led by guitarist Carlos Santana. Consolidating their live success at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, and the interest generated by their first album the band took some time to issue a follow-up. Released in September 1970, the album's mix of rock and roll, blues, jazz, salsa and other influences made it a classic that defined Santana's early sound, and showed a musical maturation from their first album.

Often considered Santana's greatest album, it drew widespread appeal for its mixture of Latin influences with familiar rock and roll themes such as overdriven electric guitar, organ and heavy drums. The album also demonstrates Santana's stylistic versatility, including tracks such as "Samba pa Ti" (a classic slow-burning, seductive piece) ["31 Songs" by Nick Hornby] and "Incident at Neshabur", both being instrumentals. The latter has several rhythm and time signature changes consistent with its jazz feel. Latin percussion — congas, bongos and timbales, as well as a conventional rock drum setup, make this Santana's first foray into true Latin rhythm. RS500|205

The album achieved number 7 in the UK album charts [http://www.chartstats.com/albuminfo.php?id=2728]

The title of the album comes from a line from Herman Hesse's book "Demian":

"We stood before it and began to freeze inside from the exertion. We questioned the painting, berated it, made love to it, prayed to it: We called it mother, called it whore and slut, called it our beloved, called it Abraxas..."

In 1998 Sony published a remastered version, which included three previously unreleased live tracks: "Se A Cabo", "Toussaint L'Ouverture" and "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen," recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in April 18 1970.

In 1998 SME records in Japan, part of Sony Music, also released the remastered version as an SACD. This disc is stereo only, and furthermore, it is a single layer SACD, which means that ordinary CD players will not play it. This disc contains the same bonus tracks as the ordinarly 1998 remastered CD.

In 2008 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab released a remastered version on their Ultradisc II (24K) Gold CD & LP.

The album's cover features the 1961 painting "Annunciation", by Mati Klarwein.

Track listing

#"Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" (Carabello) – 4:48
#"Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" (Green/Szabo) – 5:24
#"Oye Como Va" (Puente) – 4:19
#"Incident at Neshabur" (Gianquinto/Santana) – 5:02
#"Se a Cabo" (Areas) – 2:51
#"Mother's Daughter" (Rolie) – 4:28
#"Samba Pa Ti" (Santana) – 4:47
#"Hope You're Feeling Better" (Rolie) – 4:07
#"El Nicoya" (Areas) – 1:32
#"Se a Cabo" (1998 Edition) – 3:47
#"Toussaint L'Ouverture" (1998 Edition) – 4:52
#"Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" (1998 Edition) – 4:57

Track information

"Samba Pa Ti"

"Samba Pa Ti" translated into English means "Samba for You".

This instrumental was covered by José Feliciano, who added lyrics. It is also one of the tracks featured in Nick Hornby's book 31 Songs. It was used in the UK as the background music for TV ads for Marks and Spencer food in 2006.

Chart positions

ingles

* 1970 - "Black Magic Woman"
* 1971 - "Oye Como Va"
* 1971 - "Hope You're Feeling Better"

Personnel

*José "Chepito" Areas – Percussion, Conga, Timbales
*David Brown – Bass, Guitar (Bass), Engineer
*Mike Carabello – Percussion, Conga
*Fred Catero – Producer
*John Fiore – Engineer
*Alberto Gianquinto – Piano
*Mati Klarwein – Illustrations
*Gregg Rolie - keyboards, Vocals
*Rico Reyes – Percussion
*Carlos Santana – Guitar, Vocals, Producer
*Steven Saphore – Tabla
*Michael Shrieve - drums
*Robert Venosa – Artwork, Graphic Design

References

succession box
before = "Cosmo's Factory"
by Creedence Clearwater Revival
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = October 24 - October 30 1970 November 28 1970 - January 1 1971
after = "Led Zeppelin III" by Led Zeppelinsuccession box
before = "Led Zeppelin III" by Led Zeppelin
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = February 22 - February 28 1971
after = "Pendulum"
by Creedence Clearwater Revival