AMIGOS

This album's artwork might be a bit misleading, with its Hindu/Buddhist imagery, because there are no Indian music or much eastern influence, musically. I did say "musically" because the album contains spiritually some very positive music, Santana being about good times and overall hapiness right from their hippy roots in the 60's San Fran. Let's just say that I am not sure Carlos would see eye to eye with Present's Roger Trigaux, but one never knows. So aside this rather kitsch artwork, this album is one typical album from the group, providing at least two extensively-aired on radio tracks, namely Dance Sister Dance and Europa.

Right from the opening track, you know you are in for another typical 70's ride, hovering between Latino rock, fusion and semi-space jazz-rock with good vibrations that the Beach Boys could not even imagine possible. Yes, this music might just seem a little lightweight if you don't listen to it carefully. No this music is anything but positive (except lyrically and spiritually). Just listening to Take Me With You or DSD can only forget your partner's little cheats for a while (she's probably out with Carlos anyway ;- ). But as with any Santana album, there are some slightly weaker material (Let Me, Tell Me You're Tired) , but Santana's filler tracks would be highlights on many other artistes discographies. Yet, some real gems appear with the full-fusion of latino jazz-funk gitano, mixing Flamenco with a Salsa-Bossa jazz. Great stuff, especially knowing that I generally do not appreciate Carribean music, but only santana manages it. Hats Off To Carlos. Of course the "hits" (over 5 minutes for a hit is a little magical, but Carlos was a bit of that was he not?) such as Europa (still getting much airplay 30 years later) can only give you a sense of fulfillingness and Santana's guitar solos are still as majestic as ever.

Not that the album is particularly good in retrospect with his full career, Carlos being just content on having the group in cruise control in that succesful path he had managed to stear his machine. Yet giving any less than 3.5 stars to any of his mid to late-70's albums just seems to be out of question. But again, owe it to Carlos's positive psychology to account for such good ratings while I am not particularly fond of Latino- Caribbean influences.