BORBOLETTA

'Borboletta' was Santana's 6th album and is generally regarded as his last great one, often compared to 'Caravanserai' even. I have to agree, this is a very warm and mellow album that concentrates on atmosphere rather then hit potential. The band sounds relaxed and the album flows very freely and spontaneous, which is much appreciated.

I might have liked it better without the vocals though, new vocalist Leon Patillo is too soul and mellow for me. Especially songs like 'Life is Anew' and 'Practice What You Preach' aren't compatible with the darker corners of my mind. The one hit from this album, 'Give and Take' is quite enjoyable though, this one got some real bite and a nice groove. Also 'Mirage' is quite ok. The main part of the album is instrumental though, consisting of subtle dreamy Latin jazz and with some real standout tracks like 'Aspirations' and 'Flor De Canela/Promise of the Fisherman'.

Overall a great smooth and easy-going Latin fusion album that still maintains all the sophistication and musicality that jazz fans will appreciate in Santana. Whether this is an excellent album for you will depend on your appreciation of the soft soul vocals that appear on a couple of songs.