Santana! Edmonton, Rexall Place, Tuesday September 9, 2008

Yes! Santana was great! Mind you, he has never been a guitarist whose technical skill had me shaking my head , saying "Wow he was amazing--how did he do that?" But then, what is music, m' love? Puff Puff.... When one thinks of his duets with John McLaughlin in the early 70s, McLaughlin may have "blown him of the record" as one critic put it, but it was his parts that were more pleasant to listen to. I would still put him on the top twenty list of electric guitarists....

At least four things make him great. First, Carlos Santana is the one who brought Latin music into mainstream rock. Second, he has his own, distinctive guitar voice, which is heavy on sustain but always infused with latin blues. Third, he has also forged a unique band sound that is rich in percussion and keyboards as well as horns and guitar sounds...currently noteworthy in this regard are second guitarist and vocalist Tommy Anthony and redoubtable jazz drummer Dennis Chambers, who opened the concert with a solo that set the tone perfectly....Fourth, Santana has been a tasteful interpreter and unflagging ambassador for the music of his heroes.

After his early commercial success and his religiously -infused middle period, ("Caravanserai" is my favourite Santana album) followed by a return to commercial success with "Supernatural", he has found a balance with a little something for everyone. Most of the hits were there, but my favourite part was near the end when we were treated to a medley paying tribute to some of his favourite musicians--starting with a delicate guitar solo of John Coltrane's "Peace on Earth", segueing into Dylan's "Hard Rain Gonna Fall", then "Stairway to Heaven", and ultimately climaxing with Hendrix's "Third Stone from the Sun"--except that unlike most musical references to the latter, he actually went into the solo part where the space visitors (deciding they don't like earth people and their surf music) decide to blow up the world. We were on the other end of the arena and I could feel my seat shaking .........