CD-Charts Position 1
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Caravanserai: Remastered

by: Santana

Release Date October 06, 2003
I think this is the best santana album (at least studio album because then theres Lotus live in Japan) and serves as a masterclass in the fusion of so many musics yet it sounds so pure and it still amazes how all the influences can be heard so clearly but at the same time everything about this album is so unique...Everytime i hear it it impresses me even more how the songs transition into one another so seamlessly and it is almost over as soon as it had began.

Anyways, highly recommended album for guitar fans, jazz fans, early santana stuff, woodstock fans...you see where im going here, worth buying by just having "all the love in the universe"

CD-Charts Position 2
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Abraxas: Limited Edition

by: Santana

Release Date April 06, 1998
This is the first santana record I ever liked and bought in the 70s.The sound gets better each time you play this record and there is nobody(singer,band etc) to compare with this great santana line up which provided the world with this great gift of music.All songs are great song-wise and rock-wise and trust me when I say this is pure art!The true magic in this album and band is the unique combination of different types of music(afro music,latin american music and western rock music) all coming together as one blended in harmony under the stewardship of Carlos Santana producing an awe inspiring sound that has stood the test of time ."Mother's Daughter","Black magic Woman","samba pati" "Se Nkabo" are all timeless classics that Carlos himself ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Borboletta

by: Santana

Release Date February 03, 1997
Advice for those pondering over buying this:

This wasn't the first Santana album I purchased (it won't be the last either) but it sat on my wanted list for quite some time.

Boy do I wish I'd bought it sooner.

The album is book-ended by two very percussive and imaginative pieces, "Spring Manifestations" and "Borboletta". I make no apologies for the following cliches - but the rest of the ambum is a wonderfully colourful, vibrant mix of latin jazz infused funk and rhythm. But that doesn't mean it isn't accessible. Borboletta is not jazz fusion taken to the extreme. Each song flows into the next, driven forward by an incredibly uplifting and dynamic tapestry of drums, congas, and terrific musicianship all over. Santana's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Santana: Limited Edition

by: Santana

Release Date April 06, 1998
In my experience few things divide people - as far as music is concerned - than the Hammond organ. Its sound is something people either love or loathe. I cant abide its cheesy end-of-the-pier fairground tones and find it's the one thing that tends to mar early Santana albums, that and Greg Rolie's pretty non-descript vocals. Santana's guitar work does the job OK enough but for me the core strength of Santana has always been the rhythm section, the sticksmanship of Mike Shrieve, the pounding polyrhythms of the percussionists and the solid basswork. The actual tunes here are generally great esp Jingo and frankly you'd have to be dead not to find this album great for dancing. Best tracks are where Rolie's attempts at singing and his Hammond organ are minimised. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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Lotus

by: Santana

Release Date June 02, 2008
I HAVE WANTED THIS ALBUM FOR 34 YEARS!
I COULD NOT AFFORD LOTUS WHEN IT WAS FIRST RELEASED BECAUSE THE COST WAS MORE THAN AN APPRENTICE'S WEEKLY WAGE.
I HAD SEEN SANTANA LIVE TWICE BY THIS TIME SO I KNEW WHAT TO EXPECT.
SOMEONE I KNEW HAD THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE TRIPLE ALBUM WITH FOLD OUT SLEEVE.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT LOOKED AFTER AND SOON TORN INTO SMALL PIECES WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A TRAGEDY.
I HOPE THIS NEW RELEASE HAS A MINI DELUXE SLEEVE.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Supernatural

by: Santana

Release Date October 01, 1999
This was the first Santana album that I bought, and I wasn't disappointed. The songs "Smooth", "Put Your Lights On" and "Maria Maria" are among the best songs I've ever heard and for some reason make me feel much happier after I hear them! But seriously, this is a great album, and a brilliant place to start out when buying a bit of the ol' Carlos magic.

CD-Charts Position 7
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Welcome: Remastered

by: Santana

Release Date October 06, 2003
Couldn't agree more about this being an under-rated Santana. Definitely not one which should be ignored, like the live album with Buddy Miles. The main thing to say about "Welcome" is that most of it is really top quality, and it makes for a very pleasant listening experience. However, there are (for me) a couple of absolutely total Santana duffers on this album. The skip button may come in handy for "When I Look Into Your Eyes" and "Light Of Life". Trim those two off and the running time is still in excess of forty minutes. And the remaining tracks are top-drawer stuff. The title track, which closes the album, is quite sumptuous.

CD-Charts Position 8
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Festival

by: Santana

Release Date January 25, 1999
1976. Sanatana's first real accessible album by far., i first bought this in 1976 and my head was taken off with the pure lush power and passion,i have now re-discovered this sound with total joy!. Carlos went to the Bay Area of SanFrancisco to do this album with fred Catero and David Rubinson doing the production and engineering. The sound therefrom, is total latin rock with the mellow tones of the Bay Area sound. The great thing about Carlos, is he moves around, embracing studios, producers and group memeber and writers, all different, all adding to a rich, diverse sound. You will love this album, it is full of pure rythum and the beauty of song. Listen out for ex-Malo member Pablo Tellez, he sings his own song 'give me love' which, for me gives you the total sound of what cool, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
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Amigos

by: Santana

Release Date April 10, 2000
Bought this for Let it shine, which is usually overlooked on compilations. This is a great disco track that sounds more like Isaac Hayes and Stevie Wonder than Santana. Europa and Dance sister dance are also good.

CD-Charts Position 10
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Zebop

by: Santana

Release Date October 02, 2000
There is much to enjoy on this album, including untypical but very good covers of Cat Stevens 'Changes', JJ Cale's 'the Sensitive Kind' and the single 'Winning', where Carlos sounds like Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler. Strong vocals on this outing are provided by Greg Walker.

The band-penned tracks add storming guitar work, jazzy arrangements and the latin percussion the band is so well known for. The bluesy 'Brightest Star' has some of the best guitar you'll hear anywhere, working up to a frenzy, with a vocal to match.

I bought this at the same time as Inner Secrets came out, which is much glossier, and also fun, but Zebop is reliable from start to end and high on my list of regularly played Santana albums.

A solid addition to any Santana fan's ... Read More: