The lack of comments so far is probably due to the massive number of MCh mixes released the past few weeks/months. It would be a shame if that leads to this release being "lost in the flood", because it is one of the finest multichannel releases in my collection. As we know by now, the packaging is stellar as always, but something about this all white, embossed cover just reeks "class". It also fits the music perfectly; it signals something pure and exalted.
This album has always divided opinion; those who loved the original, bluesrock-meets-driving-latin-rhythms, guitar-heavy Santana lineup were puzzled and turned off by this much more refined effort. Focus is frequently on vocals and lyrics, arrangements occasionally verging on the sentimental and syrupy. Santana was delving ever deeper into his spiritual trip, taking cues from Coltrane (both John and Alice), Pharaoh Sanders, but also from the emerging jazz-rock of Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and early Return to Forever. Many of the songs here are devotional/spiritual songs that were also played at Sri Chinmoy events in simpler arrangements, but here they are brought to life but an absolutely stellar cast of players. IMHO, this band (Santana, Shrieve, Rauch, Coster, Kermode, Areas, Peraza and Leon Thomas) was the finest lineup Santana ever had. They didn't last all that long (roughly 1973, give or take), but the peak that Santana arrived at during this period is one of the greatest bands ever, again IMHO. They are captured at their finest on this studio album and on the live Lotus.
What has always struck me about this album is what fantastic variety it has, yet it all feels of a piece. I think there is not a single weak track. The Light of Life might be the weakest, but even that has some gorgeous vocals by Leon Thomas and a heavenly little guitar lick by Carlos that makes it all worthwhile. There is spiritual jazz, Brazilian fusion, jazz-rock, an African rhythm excursion, funk and a jazz-rock meltdown. The flow of the album is perfect, nothing I would change. It has always held a special place in my heart, so take that into account when I am gushing about it, but I really can't overstate what a fantastic album I think it is.
It is striking that Carlos' guitar takes a secondary role on many of the songs. Every Santana album up until this had been very guitar-heavy, III and Caravanserai in particular (the dual lead attack of Carlos and Neal Schon still evident on a lot of songs on the latter). Here the guitar takes a supporting role a lot of the time, but with a band like he had at this time it's no wonder. Coster and Kermode play off of each other beautifully on organ, electric piano and clavinet. Michael Shrieve is better than ever, Areas and Peraza ferocious and accomplished, and Doug Rauch is a revelation on bass. They also never had a better singer than Leon Thomas, as well as guest appearances by Wendy Haas and Flora Purim.
Nevertheless, even if there is less guitar than on previous albums, the quality of the playing is better than ever. Carlos turns in career peak solos on Yours Is the Light and Flame-Sky, as well as a gorgeous tone poem version of John Coltrane's Welcome. His tone in particular is something to behold; sweet yet cutting through, throaty and with overtones like a rainbow. After some experimentation he arrived at the perfect formula with a Les Paul, his snakeskin Boogie with an Altec 417-C speaker. His tone on this and the next two albums are also some of my favorite guitar tones of all time.
But this review is ultimately about the Quad mix and SACD. I know this album in its stereo mix like the back of my hand, and that is often not the best starting point for appreciating a multichannel mix. This was the case with some of the earlier Santana Quad releases, Abraxas and III in particular, which had some oddities compared with the stereo versions with weird reverb, subuded/missing guitar parts and whatnot. I'm happy to report that there is none of that stuff here. The Quad mix really sounds a lot like the stereo mix (I mean that in the best possible way), but it has better and fantastic fidelity. It sounds warm, detailed, open yet intimate, it has punch and drive...I can't find *anything* to fault. In fact, I think this is one of the absolute best vintage Quad mixes I have heard. The music is demanding both programmatically and mix-wise, and I think the Quad mix does wonders in translating it to an even higher level than the stereo mix. This was always Santana's spiritual cosmic jazz-rock masterpiece, but that is even more evident than ever on this superb new SACD.
If I had to try really hard to find something to point out, it would have to be that the keyboard (clavinet with phaser?) on the funk coda of When I Look Into Your Eyes is too loud and coming from the rears, which makes you jump up a bit, and it somewhat drowns out the terrific drums and Carlos' cool funk rhythm guitar. But that is such a minor quibble that it can't detract from the obvious score of 10 out of 10. Perfection achieved.
