Santana

騁馳樂壇30多年的Santana，創(chuàng)作源源不斷外，與樂迷始終保持良好的互動，Santana非常清楚自個兒的魅力，Carlos以Jam Session起家，搖滾史上幾個重要的音樂季Festival，都少不了Santana的現(xiàn)場蒞臨，最受矚目的是1969年超過50萬人次的Woodstock，以及后來在達拉斯舉辦該年第三大的Texas International Pop Festival，1973年Rolling Stone定期訪美巡回表演，亦邀請Santana助興，1978年在第二屆California Jam貴為上賓，1982年的音樂盛事US Festival ，盛邀幾個重量級的樂團參與，Santana想當(dāng)然爾的在應(yīng)邀之列，1985年7月為援非而在英美同步舉辦超大型的Live Aid， 1991年遠赴巴西參加年度盛會Rock Rio II，以及91年為追悼BillGraham所舉辦的35萬人音樂會，都少不了Santana的身影，Santana在國際樂壇所受到的矚目，讓不同國度的樂迷都引頸期盼，恭迎其盛。
生于墨西哥的Carlos Santana，1962年來到加州，完成高中學(xué)業(yè)后就一腦子栽進搖滾樂里，長時間沉浸于加州嬉皮文化，耳濡目染之下可發(fā)現(xiàn)Santana大部份專輯封面，都有濃濃的嬉皮色彩，手繪插畫、顏色鮮明、字體很有創(chuàng)意，第一張及第二張專輯封面就很嬉皮，可是到了第三張專輯《Santana III》改采虛幻詭奇設(shè)計，似乎顯露Santana隱含著幻覺Psychedelic的意含，聽Santana的音樂的確充滿亢奮、又有搖頭晃腦的沖動。
Santana 的主唱Gregg Rolie認為，到了第三張專輯已經(jīng)走到World Beat與Latin Rock的一種結(jié)合，而且還很難去為這樣的音樂型態(tài)下一個定義，但是Santana的音樂已到無人取代，可見Santana樂風(fēng)之特立獨行，絕對是搖滾樂壇里的少數(shù)。No One To Depend On、Everybody's Everything應(yīng)是專輯中的佼佼之作，Carlos的吉他幾乎可以和任何樂器合作無間，甚至包括合聲。讓我們難以想象的是，Santana的團員編制有七人，若再加上外聘的樂手人數(shù)竟高達12人！Carlos Santana越搞越大，之后他又另請一位享譽樂界的吉他高手Neal Schon參與，兩人各展其技，頗有較勁意味，可惜一山難容二虎，Neal Schon后來求去，并與原主唱Gregg Rolie共組知名樂團Journey。
Santana的前三張專輯公認為該團的重要經(jīng)典，其最大原因是因為人和，那是Carlos從 66年帶出來的人，長時間一起打拼，默契早已養(yǎng)成。1972年Santana重新改組，推出《Caravanserai》專輯，風(fēng)格又偏向于爵士，新的鍵盤手Tom Coster取代了Gregg Rolie，成為Carlos得意助手，原鼓手Mike Shrieve此次與Carlos挑起大梁共同錄制La Fuente Del Ritmo，由于曲風(fēng)帶有爵士，因此在編曲上鋼琴的份量增加不少。
Carlos 除了忙于推出Santana的專輯外，自己也不忘發(fā)行個人的專輯，他之所以會想要有自己的專輯，純是為了個人的興趣，而且與同好一起玩玩，第一張是與 Buddy Miles合作《Live Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles》，而1973年《Love Devotion Surrender》則是全新的創(chuàng)作，這是與John McLaughlin兩人聯(lián)手吉他，一起玩JAZZ-FUSSION，實驗意味濃厚。
Santana is the primary exponent of Latin-tinged rock, particularly due to its combination of Latin percussion (congas, timbales, etc.) with bandleader Carlos Santana's distinctive, high-pitched lead guitar playing. The group was the last major act to emerge from the psychedelic San Francisco music scene of the 1960s and it enjoyed massive success at the end of the decade and into the early '70s. The musical direction then changed to a more contemplative and jazzy style as the band's early personnel gradually departed, leaving the name in the hands of Carlos Santana, who guided the group to consistent commercial success over the next quarter-century. By the mid-'90s, Santana seemed spent as a commercial force on records, though the group continued to attract audiences for its concerts worldwide. But the band made a surprising and monumental comeback in 1999 with Supernatural, an album featuring many guest stars that became Santana's best-selling release and won a raft of Grammy Awards.
Mexican-native Carlos Santana (born July 20, 1947, in Autlan de Navarro, Mexico) moved to San Francisco in the early '60s, by which time he was already playing the guitar professionally. In 1966, he formed the Santana Blues Band with keyboard player and singer Gregg Rolie (born June 17, 1947, in Seattle, WA) and other musicians, the personnel changing frequently. The group was given its name due to a musicians union requirement that a single person be named a band's leader and it did not at first indicate that Carlos was in charge. Bass player David Brown (born February 15, 1947, in New York, NY) joined early on, as did Carlos' high school friend, conga player Mike Carabello (born November 18, 1947, in San Francisco), though he did not stay long at first. By mid-1967, the band's lineup consisted of Carlos, Rolie, Brown, drummer Bob "Doc" Livingston, and percussionist Marcus Malone. The name was shortened simply to Santana and the group came to the attention of promoter Bill Graham, who gave it its debut at his Fillmore West theater on June 16, 1968. Santana was signed to Columbia Records, which sent producer David Rubinson to tape the band at a four-night stand at the Fillmore West December 19-22, 1968. The results were not released until almost 30 years later, when Columbia/Legacy issued Live at the Fillmore 1968 in 1997.