SPIRITS DANCING IN THE FLESH

No hits on this CD...but isn't that necessarily a good thing while listening to Santana? Well, yes and no. One must remember, this album came out in 1990...a relatively dull year for any kind of progressive music and generally the height of popularity of what we knew on the airwaves back then as _hair metal_. In comes Santana with _Spirits Dancing In The Flesh_. It's a crossroads between Marathon-era Santana and the afro-funk of _Milagro_ with an ode to the first 2 Santana albums of the '60s. Simply put, the track _Peace on Earth...Mother Earth..Third Stone From The Sun_ would not have been out of place on the classic ABRAXAS. An explosive guitar track with a nod to Jimi Hendrix and the classic latin percussion in overdrive. Stellar vocals from Alex Ligertwood to boot! Wayne Shorter and Vernon Reid also guest on this album. A bit of fusion here, some hard rock there...this is a well-rounded Santana album and far superior than anything from Santana's output from '81-'87(notwithstanding _Blues For Salvador_). _Let There Be Light/ Spirits Dancing In The Flesh_ is track that would not have been out of place on either Santana's _Welcome_ or _Amigos_ albums, and the aforementioned were fusionesque in nature. _Soweto (Africa Libre)_ is another great percussive track on this album with in fine form. _Full Moon_ is a classic Carlos intrumental he's know for on guitar...like soul fod, really. Of note, guitarists would really enjoy this album. Why this album is rated so slow...I'll never know.