CARLOS SANTANA AND BUDDY MILES! LIVE!

Recorded live in a single concert, this album was a one-shot collaboration between Buddy Miles and Santana (who did not bring his own band, but rather pieces of it: by 72 the original group was disintegrating) and the two stars did a selection of their tracks. This album is reputed for being patchy and over-indulgent, and the least that can be said is that its reputation is not usurped.

Not well recorded, of limited interest to fans of both Carlos and Buddy, the real reasons for releasing this album remain clouded-over. After a shoddy McLaughlin-penned Marbles, the group gets lost in a bunch of semi-soul music where Buddy struts his stuff and Carlos enhances them, but when it is time to reciprocate on Evil Ways, Buddy's voice is not cutting it and they play way too fast: this is almost shameful compared to the original. For the occasion of the concert, two tracks were written by both of them, the very short Faith Interlude and the overlong almost 25-min FFFF. The track is obviously a bit on an improvisation, but it is rather built up even if it starts in an atonal cacophony. But over the course of the track, both groups manage to find a common ground and a complicity that makes you believe that music is indeed something special as a mean of communion. However inexplicably with the Cd format, the full version was not restored and we get the exact same fade-out as we did (understandably so) with the vinyl. The least would've been to find the rest of the track.

Definitely not essential and not even really good, the album does deserve a spin at least once, just for the sake of it.

Sometimes I get the feeling on listening to this fine album that it is more a Buddy Miles solo than a joint affair between Carlos Santana and BM. It is nevertheless a fantastic live album to own. Rough around the edges and with a massive Jimi Hendrix feel ( I wonder why!) The album starts with ' Marbles' is this is not too bad.' Evil Ways' is not a great rendition however and is quickley forgotten. The jewel on this record is the 25 minute ' Free Form Funkafide Filth'. Improvisation and jamming at it's best. If you like early Santana or Jimi Hendrix you will like this rare early gem from a fine guitar player and a fine drummer.A strong recommendation.

Well for those who cry of jam sessions, you wanted it and you got it!

What do you get when you throw together Carlos Santana and half of Buddy Miles' band? Well, I'm not exactly sure but they decided to record it. "Marbles" is the first track played, and although it was written by everybody's favorite McLaughlin, this really isn't a very good track for either performer. "Evil Ways" is a decent rendition of the overly popular Santana track, and really everybody seems to come more alive. The rest of this Side 1 is just a bunch of improvisational horn sections going off with some nice bass, but there is nothing much really happening on top of that. it was only divided into songs for the sake of the record company, I believe.

The real gem of this album is the Side 2 eclipsing "Free Form Funkafide Filth". At just short of 25 minutes, it does get a bit stretchy and overly-improvisational at times, but both musicians are at their peaks of the show here. It may not be the best guitar or the best drums you will ever hear, but they really click together bringing some value to the long-lost idea of musical communication.

The bottom line? By no means is this an essential album. The recording is extremely sketchy with a lot of static and pick-up problems, as no studio touch-ups were done here. The positive side of that is that this does have that raw, authentic feel to it. A nice jam session between two respective greats, but this should not be the top album on your "to buy" list.

In my quest for any Santana album in my early teens, I got this one at the time of release not knowing what to expect from this live record. But my idea was that Carlos + the drummer of "The Band Of Gypsy" couldn't be bad.

"Marbles" is probably the closer you can get to "Batuka". A great opener in the tradition of the very good Santana numbers. The dexterity of the masters shining throughout the song. A great start by all means. And the short "Lava" keeps on with the crying and so emotional guitar. But remember, Schon is also playing in this live set.

One "true" Santana song. An old one, from their debut album (which is highly recommended). But it is not a great version of "Evil Ways", I must say. The accelerated rhythm, and those needless sax & trumpet which replace the good organ solo by Greg Rolie, are mostly destroying this originally good song.

The short and useless soul / jamming "Faith Interlude" turns into the funky "Them Changes" without transition. Some sort of a poor "Sly & The Family Stones" song. These are the weakest moments of this album and closed the first side of the vinyl album.

The side long "Free Form." has its roots in some of the tracks performed at the Fillmore West (in 1968), but at the time this live album was not released yet. It is indeed free form music and I could never really enter into this "trip".

A complete chaos for three minutes, some sax solo for another three and on and on with solo interrupted by the crowd cheering at the end of each one of those. Some sort of "Get Ready" (from "Rare Earth") but much less interesting.

This piece of music gets better when the dual guitars enter the scene (after eight minutes or so). Some good congas, percussion and back to hectic again. The very few great moments are the guitar ones but these aren't too many, unfortunately. At times, some notes reminds me of "All The Love Of The Universe" as well.

I do not listen to this album very much. For the purpose of this review, I did it probably thirty five years after my previous listening.

Two stars.

This album quite often is criticized by Santana band's fans. I can understand why, but cant agree in full. First of all, it is first Santana's live album, and first his solo album as well. Then, it is not band's work, but his solo one (ok, more duet with Buddy Miles).

Album was recorded during one concert in Honolulu and never changed too much in studio. So, you have raw and true ,almost documental early live Santana's music sound. Unhappily, recording sound quality isn't good enough.

Music itself is a bit different from Santana band's music, and ,even using some Santana's songs and many elements of his style, in fact are something as Hendrix Band Of Gypsies play with Santana on guitar instead of Jimmi.

Result is long, slightly psychedelic compositions with BOG drummer on vocals. More r'n'b and funky, than Latin rock based. All B -side is one long funky jam. All musicians play very inspired, even if music isn't too complex.

Possibly music there is too different from early Santana Band's albums, but it is really very interesting for fans of jamming, Santana's more jazzy-funky side.