CARLOS SANTANA & ALICE COLTRANE: ILLUMINATIONS

Perhaps the most unexpected Santana album of the 70's and miles away from the typical Santana rock sound, this effort is highly experimental, fuzzy and free riding. On board are exotic instruments like harp, saxophones and keyboards. It's a spiritual work full of ecstasy and I am glad that apart from the Santana keyboard player, also some pure jazz musicians joined the board.

There are some more quiet and meditative moments in the beginning and end. There is one single track that is worth all the album, namely the 15-minute "Angel of sunlight" that boasts guitar/saxophone frenzy and crazy jazz psychedelic drumming.

This is a perfectly balanced album of reflective moments and mighty fusion but it is an acquired taste for most of the Santana fans and thus not for everybody. 1974 was the last very strong year for Santana!