On a hot August day in 1969, a skinny Latino guy with a guitar, afro and a handful of drummers took the stage at Woodstock. Sandwiched between Country Joe McDonald and The Grateful Dead, the upstart Carlos Santana proceeded to change the face of popular music forever. Almost 40 years and 35 albums later, his band continues to introduce new audiences to the Latin rock that they helped create. In February, the band re-released their third album, Santana III. This updated Legacy Edition\ features previously unreleased recordings, as well as a second CD with tracks from their historic July 4, 1971 performance at the Fillmore West. The Legacy Edition lives up to its rather ambitious title by adding enough new quality material to entice any fan into the purchase, while still keeping the integrity of the original album.
Santana III was originally released in 1971 and represents the finest display of Latin Rock ever to reach mainstream America. The fusion of guitar and percussion that streams through this recording became the defining sound of Santana and every Latin act that followed them. Songs such as ""Everybody's Everything"" blend six separate percussionists flawlessly into one never-ending beat. Despite the fact that up to 10 musicians play on the same track, the music manages to never be overpowering. As soon as listeners expect Gloria Estefan or Shakira to samba into the song, Santana illustrates what separates them from these acts.
The signature guitar of Carlos Santana is the ingredient that led to the remolding of Latin culture in popular thought. His soaring licks and epic solos which permeate III are one of the most recognized tones in guitar history. Anyone who even remotely appreciates guitar will be blown away by the creativity that Santana's fingers weave throughout the course of this album. His pure talent is only amplified on the live CD included in this two-disc set.
""Bakuta,"" ""No One to Depend On"" and ""Taboo,"" all on the original release of III, are played live in the Fillmore recording. Although slightly repetitious, the second disc is far from redundant. Santana takes the opportunity to show how the spontaneous nature of a live show can breathe new life into classic songs. Santana's cohesiveness and sense of rhythm reach a new level as they manage to blend their broad spectrum of sounds flawlessly outside of the sterile studio environment. A jam on their most notable single, ""Black Magic Woman,"" caps off the auditory encounter of Santana III. This is one of the most successful renovations undertaken on a classic album. The only complaint one could muster about this album are the almost exclusively Spanish lyrics. But Santana's raw musical expression needs no written compliment to move the audience into the truly unique listening experience that is III.
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