Notes & Personnel Info |  | The 1997 release of DANCE OF THE RAINBOW SERPENT is packaged in a bin-fitting slipcase. | | Santana includes: Carlos Santana (guitar); Gregg Rolie (vocals, keyboards); Tom Coster, Chester Thompson (keyboards); Michael Shrieve, Graham Lear (drums); Jose Areas, Armando Peraza (percussion). | | Additional personnel includes: John Lee Hooker, Larry Graham, The Waters Family (vocals); Vernon Reid, Neal Schon, John McLaughlin, Jimmie Vaughan (guitar); Kim Wilson (harmonica); Wayne Shorter (saxophone); Tower Of Power Horn Section (horns); Booker T. Jones, Joe Zawinul (keyboards); Alphonso Johnson, Victor Bailey (bass); Peter Erskine (drums); Pete Escovedo, Airto Moreira, Babatunde Olatunji, Mino Cinelu (percussion). | | Includes liner notes by Carlos Santana. | | "Every Now And Then" was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. | | Guitarist Carlos Santana continues to record music, but when contemplating his body of work, it's difficult not to telescope to the "vintage" 1969-1975 period, from first albums Santana and Abraxas through to Lotus. Dance of the Rainbow Serpent offers a well-rounded, three-disc overview of his career, but its the sultry Latin rhythms and stinging guitar of the early years -- captured on disc one, subtitled Heart -- that prove most invigorating. The obvious hits like "Evil Ways" and "Black Magic Woman" are all included of course, although these are scorched by the speedy pyrotechnics of the likes of "Toussaint Overture" from Lotus. The second disc, mistitled Soul, covers material that is, to be kind, bland and overproduced. Without the Latin edge, there's nothing to distinguish the contents from a hundred other MOR performers. Third disc Spirit is more diverse and satisfying; delving into the funkier examples of his later work, plus sessions with John Lee Hooker (including hit "The Healer") and previously unreleased material (including a workout with Living Color's Vernon Reid). In all, plenty here to chew on for fans of Santana's fluid, spiritual style -- with one of three discs left to gather. ~ Roch Parisien |
Producer: Lawrence Cohn (Compilation) |
Musical Guests | | John McLaughlin | | Weather Report | | Babatunde Olatunji | | Vernon Reid | | Wayne Shorter | | Larry Graham | | John Lee Hooker |
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