Well, now I am interested. I only know and love his work with Pharoah Sanders, although I have a solo album of his. I also somewhere have a duet between Thomas and Louis Armstrong on a version of The Creator Has A Master Plan. Seen Pharaoh three times, and each time I've thought, 'Wouldn't it be amazing if Leon Thomas was still here.'
Without going too off topic, in terms of Thomas vocals, a lesser known but MIGHTY vocal is on Pharoah Sanders' Oh, Lord Let Me Do No Wrong. The title track of the album.
The first five albums were all superb : Santana (@The_President .. I have this but only on CD) Abraxas III (Man with Outstretched hand) Caravanserai Welcome .. The band went downhill when Greg Rollie and Neal Schoen left and Carlos went all religious and vegan
Best: 1) Abraxas (one of the best albums by anybody ever) 2) III 3) Caravanserai
I agree more or less, though I have forgotten what's on III. I love Greg Rollie's keyboard work with Santana, wasted in Journey which is where he and Neal Schoen went off to. I played Caravanserai on Sunday after reading this thread and his solo on "All the Love in the Universe" is still stop-what-you're-doing-and-listen stuff. That track is an example of what sounds to me like music too "big" for your speakers. So much going on. Early Killers being another example. If anyone understands what I mean….
Carlos finally came to Prague in 2010. Started with Jingo and went on for three hours...
..
Here is the wiki entry for Santana III .. the beauty with the re-issues on CD is that most come nowadays with bonus tracks or an extra CD, usually of live performances, especially from the early 1970s when the original band was really in its steaming rhythmic and melodic pomp .. so on the reissued Abraxas you get a live concert including songs/tunes from Santana ! and III etc etc. I saw the original band several times way back when in the states during the 70s, as I wrote above, vital resignations from the group and Carlos's obsession with Sri Chimnoy and eastern religions was at odds with dirty hot and murky latin/hard rock, the band went into hibernation for a long time and never for me, really recovered the absolute joy and zest of the early years. I guess that is true of many bands. As for 'Journey' formed by Greg and Neal, to keep rocking and rolling (drifted into MOR/AOR), yes, pretty mediocre fare for the most part .. BUT .. it made both of them VERY rich men indeed, still one of America's top acts who are hardly ever heard over here. Rollie left years ago. Neal Schoen was a child prodigy on the geetar, he's still pretty useful today
repeat warning ,, repeat warning .. Abraxas .. great rolling down the motorway music .. Caravanserai nearly as good, more Jazzy, more sophisticated, less raunchy than Abraxas
Glad we didn't hold our breaths .. some forty plus years after the release of Santana III, Santana IV will be released soon .. not that there have been no Santana labelled albums in the intervening years .. just that Greg Rolie and Neal Schoen, two essential ingredients in Santana circa 1974, have taken leave from 'Journey' and are reunited with old Carlos having left after Santana III, so IV is a rebirth of (some of) the old team .. all is forgiven but let's hope not forgotten .. BUT what I ask has happened to the masters of the Timbales and assorted percussion José 'Chepito' Areas and Michael Shrieve .. are they now too old to boogie and rock up a storm on the skins ?
I think Michael Shreeve is no longer with us - could be wrong.
found a review on a US website .. Shrieve is still alive and well and is on the album as is Michael Carabello, the second percussionist .. missing are bassist David Brown who died in 2000 and Areas .. I will miss Areas, a master on assorted percussion .. so, 4 out of the six original members are still around, plus Schoen who joined the band when he was fifteen years old, a prodigy then, merely a master picker now ((:>) .. and yes the cover is a clever throwback to the 1960s as is a lot of the music by the sound of it .. I suspect it will all lack the thrust and passion of their early work, BUT these guys are now well into their sixties and are no longer the bad ass dudes from San Francisco bay
I think Michael Shreeve is no longer with us - could be wrong.
found a review on a US website .. Shrieve is still alive and well and is on the album as is Michael Carabello, the second percussionist .. missing are bassist David Brown who died in 2000 and Areas .. I will miss Areas, a master on assorted percussion .. so, 4 out of the six original members are still around, plus Schoen who joined the band when he was fifteen years old, a prodigy then, merely a master picker now ((:>) .. and yes the cover is a clever throwback to the 1960s as is a lot of the music by the sound of it .. I suspect it will all lack the thrust and passion of their early work, BUT these guys are now well into their sixties and are no longer the bad ass dudes from San Francisco bay
Didn't know about this, looking forward to it. Greg Rollie's style of keyboard work kind of went out of fashion when punk blew up prog.rock, but I love it.
Was just thinking to buy something on vinyl for a change, with that birthday Amazon voucher, maybe this will be it.
I think Michael Shreeve is no longer with us - could be wrong.
found a review on a US website .. Shrieve is still alive and well and is on the album as is Michael Carabello, the second percussionist .. missing are bassist David Brown who died in 2000 and Areas .. I will miss Areas, a master on assorted percussion .. so, 4 out of the six original members are still around, plus Schoen who joined the band when he was fifteen years old, a prodigy then, merely a master picker now ((:>) .. and yes the cover is a clever throwback to the 1960s as is a lot of the music by the sound of it .. I suspect it will all lack the thrust and passion of their early work, BUT these guys are now well into their sixties and are no longer the bad ass dudes from San Francisco bay
Didn't know about this, looking forward to it. Greg Rollie's style of keyboard work kind of went out of fashion when punk blew up prog.rock, but I love it.
Was just thinking to buy something on vinyl for a change, with that birthday Amazon voucher, maybe this will be it.
indeed PA.. I LOVE that Hammond organ sound, Jimmy Smith, Brian Auger, Keith Emerson, Gregg Rolie, they just aint made like that anymore although several contemporary US bands still make use, Black Stone Cherry, Govt Mule, Walter Trout Band, Gregg Allman .. just wondering if the album (Santana IV) will be released on vinyl ? .. the few new vinyl for sale around here are old masterpieces .. Bowie, Springstein, Stones and the like .. anyway, spend that voucher wisely ((:>)
Comments
Here is the wiki entry for Santana III .. the beauty with the re-issues on CD is that most come nowadays with bonus tracks or an extra CD, usually of live performances, especially from the early 1970s when the original band was really in its steaming rhythmic and melodic pomp .. so on the reissued Abraxas you get a live concert including songs/tunes from Santana ! and III etc etc.
I saw the original band several times way back when in the states during the 70s, as I wrote above, vital resignations from the group and Carlos's obsession with Sri Chimnoy and eastern religions was at odds with dirty hot and murky latin/hard rock, the band went into hibernation for a long time and never for me, really recovered the absolute joy and zest of the early years. I guess that is true of many bands.
As for 'Journey' formed by Greg and Neal, to keep rocking and rolling (drifted into MOR/AOR), yes, pretty mediocre fare for the most part .. BUT .. it made both of them VERY rich men indeed, still one of America's top acts who are hardly ever heard over here. Rollie left years ago. Neal Schoen was a child prodigy on the geetar, he's still pretty useful today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana_(1971_album)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana_(1971_album)
another one from Welcome .. Tom Coster on piano .. as good as Chick Corea
as much as I've loved his music, I've never seen him live, so really pleased.
Santana Mk2 .. live in Japan, early 70s
@sillav nitram has already bought his ... see above
Did anyone see them at O2 in July ?
Was just thinking to buy something on vinyl for a change, with that birthday Amazon voucher, maybe this will be it.