| Santana — Santana IV (April 15th, 2016) |
Santana — Santana IV (April 15, 2016) 
•★• “Dva roky tvrdé práce pro zrod pravděpodobně nejsilnějšího line–up bandu Santana. Zpěvák Gregg Rolie, kytarista Neal Schon, bubeník Michael Shrieve. Schon a Rolie utvořili v roce 1973 Journey. Doplnění sestavy je logické: dlouholetý Santanův basák Benny Rietveld a druhý bubeník Karl Perazzo. Conguero Michael Carabello pokládá známý rytmický základ, umožňující kytaristům (Carlos Santana a Neal Schon) navzájem se inspirovat v sólech, které jsou stejně melodické jako jsou současně rytmické. Zkazí nám zábavu nějaké rozdíly? Jaké? Třeba na rozdíl od setkání většiny klasických rockerů, tohle dokazuje svoji hudební bojovnost, i když na albu vyznívá tak trochu přebytečně, není to hlavní plán. Souhra mezi kytaristy je ohnivá, zatímco souhra Rolie~Shrieve nikdy nepostrádala inspiraci. První z nich je mnohem lepší a výraznější zpěvák, než zamlada. Tento počin spustí stylistický amalgám, aniž by byla ohrožena ochranná známka Santany. A to hned v otvíráku: cumbia, funk a hard rock. Nemáš místa pro usnutí: hned druhá “Shake It” pošimrá vzpomínku na Petera Greena z původních Fleetwood Mac. Občas prosakuje afrokubánská salsa, v jiných napjaté dvou–akordní blues vamp. Celé album je houževnaté jako legendární III a Abraxas. “Fillmore East” začíná stříbřitě noční atmosférou, pak se vyvine do sedmiminutové instrumentální marmelády, která v první linii umožňuje natáhnout hráčům svou aspiraci, snahu si kytarově zavzlykat a vykřičet svůj legendární život. Schon, vždy skalní technik, dělá Carlosovi slavobránu, aby mu umožnil pracovat tvrději, než by napovídal jeho věk. Opět změny tempa, RB, perkusní vrstvy, polyrytmy, drsné funky, jazz–rock, doteky transcendentní tropické, melodické jazzové fúze. Menším mínusem je neutuchající pocit, že to všechno jsou spíše pouze jednotlivé myšlenky, než hotové písně. Čtenář těchto řádků to však pochopí, tisíckrát byl v situaci, kdy v popůlnoční extázi omámen vším, co bylo po ruce, dovolil zbytku noci, aby dovyprávěla tento svůj vesmírný příběh, kde odpověď po smyslu života se přímo nabízí. Vady? Ano. Musí jít však stranou, album “je docela zábavné”, jak píše Thom Jurek na Allmusic.com, “a sdílení radosti mezi hráči je prioritní. Nemusí znít jako mladí radikálové nebo dávat neuvážené exhibice, ale neslevují z vytýčeného levelu, jako kdyby nikdy spolu nepřestali hrát a objevovali vše teď a tady společně.” To si cením nejvíce. Málokterá kapela si může zopáknout a vyzvednout hudební dialog poté, co byla od sebe 45 let, ale na albu “Santana IV” každý člen kapely dosahuje novou úroveň virtuozity, komunikace a intuice v kolekci písní, které obstojí bok po boku s původními skvosty skupiny raného období. Tvorba hudby s blízkým člověkem v hranicích jemu přidělených je téměř duchovní hodnotou a je jedním z nejintimnějších zážitků, jaké můžete sdílet s jinou osobou. Kde je debatér? Kdo vymyslel tento zvuk? K tomuto dni, nikdo to neumí lépe.
Location: San Francisco, CA, U.S.
Album release: April 15th, 2016
Record Label: Santana IV Records
Duration: 75:35
Tracks:
01 Yambu 3:27
02 Shake It 4:45
03 Anywhere You Want to Go 5:05
04 Fillmore East 7:44
05 Love Makes the World Go Round 4:20
06 Freedom in Your Mind 5:30
07 Choo Choo 4:10
08 All Aboard 2:03
09 Sueños 5:15
10 Caminando 4:21
11 Blues Magic 4:26
12 Echizo 3:54
13 Leave Me Alone 4:01
14 You and I 4:20
15 Come as You Are 4:52
16 Forgiveness 7:22
Written by:
• Karl Perazzo / Carlos Santana 1
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Gregg Rolie / Neal Schon 2
• Gregg Rolie 3, 14
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Benny Rietveld / Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon / Michael Shrieve 4
• Thierry Fournel / Nuru Kane / Carlos Santana 5
• Ken Okulolo / Carlos Santana 6
• Michael Carabello / Igor Len / Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 7
• Carlos Santana 8
• Benny Rietveld / Carlos Santana 9
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 10
• Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 11, 16
• Neal Schon / Michael Shrieve 12
• Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Michael Shrieve 13
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 15
Credits:
•★• Michael Carabello Composer, Congas, Executive Producer, Percussion, Vocals (Background)
•★• Thierry Fournel Composer
•★• Ronald Isley Featured Artist
•★• Nuru Kane Composer
•★• Igor Len Composer
•★• Ken Okulolo Composer
•★• Karl Perazzo Composer, Group Member, Percussion, Timbales, Vocals
•★• Benny Rietveld Arranger, Bass, Composer, Group Member, Producer, Programming
•★• Gregg Rolie Arranger, Composer, Executive Producer, Group Member, Hammond B3, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
•★• Santana Primary Artist
•★• Carlos Santana Arranger, Composer, Executive Producer, Group Member, Guitar, Producer, Vocals
•★• Neal Schon Composer, Executive Producer, Group Member, Guitar, Vocals
•★• Michael Shrieve Composer, Drums, Executive Producer, Group Member
AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek; Score: ★★★½
•★• Two years in the making, Santana IV marks the reunion of nearly all members of the 1971–1972 band, arguably its greatest lineup. Carlos Santana, conguero Michael Carabello, organist/lead vocalist Gregg Rolie, drummer Michael Shrieve, and guitarist Neal Schon cut the landmark Santana III in 1971. It was a short–lived group as Schon and Rolie would depart in early 1973 to form Journey. Filling out the lineup are Carlos’ longtime bassist Benny Rietveld and second percussionist Karl Perazza. Unlike the reunions of most classic rockers, this one proves its musical mettle, even when the album gives in to excess. The interplay between the guitarists is fiery, while Rolie and Shrieve have never been less than inspiring. The former is a far better (more expressive) vocalist than he was in his youth.
•★• This output runs the stylistic gamut without compromising Santana’s core sound. Opener “Yambu” is a cooking meld of cumbia, funk, and hard rock. The screaming blues–rock of “Shake It” is the first — but not only — place where Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac is referenced, albeit with percolating Afro–Cuban grooves and salsa chants. In “Blues Magic,” they reference Mac again in a slow, brooding two–chord blues vamp. It would have made a perfect B–side for “Black Magic Woman.” First single “Anywhere You Want to Go” recalls the strutting, swelling toughness of III and Abraxas. “Fillmore East” commences with a silvery nocturnal feel, then evolves into a seven–minute instrumental jam that lets the front line players stretch out. Schon, always a rock technician, makes Carlos work harder than he has in years. “Love Makes the World Go Round” and “Freedom Is in Your Mind” are changes of pace with Ronald Isley on vocals. The former is an R&B–inspired rock jam with cooking percussive layers; the latter a scorching meld of raucous funk and jazz–rock with Yoruban polyrhythms. The instrumental ballad “Sueños” revisits the feel of “Samba Pa Ti,” while “Echizo” touches on the transcendent tropical, melodic jazz fusion of “Song of the Wind” as both guitarists soar. The album should have ended with “Come as You Are,” a celebratory, tropically inspired rocker, but closes instead with “Forgiveness,” a beautiful but long, slow blues that should have been sequenced earlier in the mix.
•★• At over 75 minutes, Santana IV would have benefitted greatly from judicious editing. There is filler here: the classic rock-styled blues raveup in “Choo Choo,” the horn–drenched boogie of “Caiminando,” the tired, Shaman–esque “Leave Me Alone,” and the new agey, smooth jazz–blues fusion of “Leave Me Alone,” all feel like they are ideas rather than finished songs. Flaws aside, IV is quite enjoyable — especially split over a couple of listens. There remains a real musical connection and shared joy between these players. They may not sound young, radical, or reckless, but they do come off as if they never stopped playing and discovering together.
Website: http://www.santana.com/
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| Santana — Santana IV (April 15th, 2016) |
Location: San Francisco, CA, U.S.
Album release: April 15th, 2016
Record Label: Santana IV Records
Duration: 75:35
Tracks:
01 Yambu 3:27
02 Shake It 4:45
03 Anywhere You Want to Go 5:05
04 Fillmore East 7:44
05 Love Makes the World Go Round 4:20
06 Freedom in Your Mind 5:30
07 Choo Choo 4:10
08 All Aboard 2:03
09 Sueños 5:15
10 Caminando 4:21
11 Blues Magic 4:26
12 Echizo 3:54
13 Leave Me Alone 4:01
14 You and I 4:20
15 Come as You Are 4:52
16 Forgiveness 7:22
Written by:
• Karl Perazzo / Carlos Santana 1
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Gregg Rolie / Neal Schon 2
• Gregg Rolie 3, 14
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Benny Rietveld / Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon / Michael Shrieve 4
• Thierry Fournel / Nuru Kane / Carlos Santana 5
• Ken Okulolo / Carlos Santana 6
• Michael Carabello / Igor Len / Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 7
• Carlos Santana 8
• Benny Rietveld / Carlos Santana 9
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 10
• Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 11, 16
• Neal Schon / Michael Shrieve 12
• Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Michael Shrieve 13
• Michael Carabello / Karl Perazzo / Gregg Rolie / Carlos Santana / Neal Schon 15
Credits:
•★• Michael Carabello Composer, Congas, Executive Producer, Percussion, Vocals (Background)
•★• Thierry Fournel Composer
•★• Ronald Isley Featured Artist
•★• Nuru Kane Composer
•★• Igor Len Composer
•★• Ken Okulolo Composer
•★• Karl Perazzo Composer, Group Member, Percussion, Timbales, Vocals
•★• Benny Rietveld Arranger, Bass, Composer, Group Member, Producer, Programming
•★• Gregg Rolie Arranger, Composer, Executive Producer, Group Member, Hammond B3, Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
•★• Santana Primary Artist
•★• Carlos Santana Arranger, Composer, Executive Producer, Group Member, Guitar, Producer, Vocals
•★• Neal Schon Composer, Executive Producer, Group Member, Guitar, Vocals
•★• Michael Shrieve Composer, Drums, Executive Producer, Group Member
AllMusic Review by Thom Jurek; Score: ★★★½
•★• Two years in the making, Santana IV marks the reunion of nearly all members of the 1971–1972 band, arguably its greatest lineup. Carlos Santana, conguero Michael Carabello, organist/lead vocalist Gregg Rolie, drummer Michael Shrieve, and guitarist Neal Schon cut the landmark Santana III in 1971. It was a short–lived group as Schon and Rolie would depart in early 1973 to form Journey. Filling out the lineup are Carlos’ longtime bassist Benny Rietveld and second percussionist Karl Perazza. Unlike the reunions of most classic rockers, this one proves its musical mettle, even when the album gives in to excess. The interplay between the guitarists is fiery, while Rolie and Shrieve have never been less than inspiring. The former is a far better (more expressive) vocalist than he was in his youth.
•★• This output runs the stylistic gamut without compromising Santana’s core sound. Opener “Yambu” is a cooking meld of cumbia, funk, and hard rock. The screaming blues–rock of “Shake It” is the first — but not only — place where Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac is referenced, albeit with percolating Afro–Cuban grooves and salsa chants. In “Blues Magic,” they reference Mac again in a slow, brooding two–chord blues vamp. It would have made a perfect B–side for “Black Magic Woman.” First single “Anywhere You Want to Go” recalls the strutting, swelling toughness of III and Abraxas. “Fillmore East” commences with a silvery nocturnal feel, then evolves into a seven–minute instrumental jam that lets the front line players stretch out. Schon, always a rock technician, makes Carlos work harder than he has in years. “Love Makes the World Go Round” and “Freedom Is in Your Mind” are changes of pace with Ronald Isley on vocals. The former is an R&B–inspired rock jam with cooking percussive layers; the latter a scorching meld of raucous funk and jazz–rock with Yoruban polyrhythms. The instrumental ballad “Sueños” revisits the feel of “Samba Pa Ti,” while “Echizo” touches on the transcendent tropical, melodic jazz fusion of “Song of the Wind” as both guitarists soar. The album should have ended with “Come as You Are,” a celebratory, tropically inspired rocker, but closes instead with “Forgiveness,” a beautiful but long, slow blues that should have been sequenced earlier in the mix.
•★• At over 75 minutes, Santana IV would have benefitted greatly from judicious editing. There is filler here: the classic rock-styled blues raveup in “Choo Choo,” the horn–drenched boogie of “Caiminando,” the tired, Shaman–esque “Leave Me Alone,” and the new agey, smooth jazz–blues fusion of “Leave Me Alone,” all feel like they are ideas rather than finished songs. Flaws aside, IV is quite enjoyable — especially split over a couple of listens. There remains a real musical connection and shared joy between these players. They may not sound young, radical, or reckless, but they do come off as if they never stopped playing and discovering together.
Website: http://www.santana.com/
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