Abraxas

iTunes Review

By turns searing, sensuous and mesmerizing, Santana’s Abraxas (1970) remains one of the milestones of early ‘70s rock. Its appeal is easy to grasp — the music here is an intoxicating brew of Afro-Cuban percussion, bold keyboards and the virtuosic guitar of the band’s namesake. “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” is illustrative of how Santana could forge links between rock and Latin styles without compromising the essence of either. Tracks like the spacey “Singing Winds, Crying Beasts” and the hypnotic “Samba Pa Ti” have a reflective feel, while “Incident at Neshabur” and a magnificent rendering of Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va” flow with molten force. The band’s muscle and finesse transform even fairly conventional tunes like “Mother’s Daughter” and “Hope You’re Feeling Better” into unstoppable jams. Carlos Santana’s blazing fretwork and probing solo flights gain crucial support from Chepito Areas’ rippling congas and Gregg Rolie’s gritty organ. Santana (the band) would splinter as Santana (the solo artist) forged new paths — but some consider this album the greatest achievement of both.