The Essential Santana [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Guitar hero, world-music pioneer, and Latin-rock superstar--Carlos Santana embodies them all on this 33-track double-disc anthology of the legend's first 20 years in music. Yet none of those labels seem to capture the true musical essence of the mercurial, Mexican-born icon. Literally from the very beginning here (the furiously rhythmic 1969 reworking of Nigerian star Babatunde's Olatunji's "Jingo"), Santana cuts his own rewarding and peculiar swath across rock history, whether giving similar "Jingo" treatment to Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" or infusing the meat-and-potatoes R&B of "Everybody's Everything" with his emotional soloing. While that familiar, warm guitar tone adds compelling new dimensions to covers of staples like the Zombies' "She's Not There" and the Classics IV's "Stormy," as well as to the string of '80s hits also included here, it's the sense of spiritual freedom he gives tracks like Joe Zawinul's "In a Silent Way" and the gorgeous, understated "Europa" that seem his greatest legacy. And lest anyone thought the pop affectations of the Grammy-winning Supernatural a fluke, there are plenty of reminders in the set's second half (the joyous funk of "Vera Cruz," his bluesy duet with John Lee Hooker, "The Healer") to remind us that Santana's commercial timing has oft been as masterful as his fleet-fingered soloing. --Jerry McCulley

Tracks:

Jingo
Evil Ways
Soul Sacrifice
Medley: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
Oye Como Va
Samba Pa Ti
Everybody's Everything
No One To Depend On
Toussaint L'Overture
Guajira
La Fuente Del Ritmo
In A Silent Way (Live)
Love, Devotion and Surrender
Mirage
Carnaval
Let The Children Play
Jugando

Tracks:

She's Not There
Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana) (Live)
Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)
Stormy
Well All Right
Open Invitation
Aquamarine
You Know That I Love You
All I Ever Wanted
Winning
Hold On
Nowhere To Run
Say It Again
Veracruz
Blues For Salvador
The Healer (Featuring John Lee Hooker)

Amazon.com

Guitar hero, world-music pioneer, and Latin-rock superstar--Carlos Santana embodies them all on this 33-track double-disc anthology of the legend's first 20 years in music. Yet none of those labels seem to capture the true musical essence of the mercurial, Mexican-born icon. Literally from the very beginning here (the furiously rhythmic 1969 reworking of Nigerian star Babatunde's Olatunji's "Jingo"), Santana cuts his own rewarding and peculiar swath across rock history, whether giving similar "Jingo" treatment to Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" or infusing the meat-and-potatoes R&B of "Everybody's Everything" with his emotional soloing. While that familiar, warm guitar tone adds compelling new dimensions to covers of staples like the Zombies' "She's Not There" and the Classics IV's "Stormy," as well as to the string of '80s hits also included here, it's the sense of spiritual freedom he gives tracks like Joe Zawinul's "In a Silent Way" and the gorgeous, understated "Europa" that seem his greatest legacy. And lest anyone thought the pop affectations of the Grammy-winning Supernatural a fluke, there are plenty of reminders in the set's second half (the joyous funk of "Vera Cruz," his bluesy duet with John Lee Hooker, "The Healer") to remind us that Santana's commercial timing has oft been as masterful as his fleet-fingered soloing. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Nearly perfect.......2006-12-16

The Essential Santana, like most releases in the Essential series is missing one key track. That track is "Hope You're Feeling Better" from Abraxas. Other than that the track listing is stellar, except it would've been nice to have the studio version of "Dance Sister Dance".

An excellent collection!.......2006-09-13

Mexico native Carlos Santana gives his fans his best recording just like any other artist on any essential/ultimate compilation. Carlos' career began in or around 1969 or '70,one of his first Top 20 hits being EVIL WAYS. Other memorable tunes include WINNING from his 1981 album ZEBOP!. When I first heard the tune,I thought it was Journey frontman Steve Perry singing(Journey are Carlos' Columbia Records labelmates). I found out one of Carlos' bandmates is a vocal clone of Perry. I also heard the Perry clone on HOLD ON from 1982's SHANGO. Another great tune is STORMY,a cover of the Classic IV's 1968 hit. The other songs are great.

Disc Two Kills The Whole Compilation. .......2006-05-03

If this thing was only one disc, (The first disc), this "essential" album would have five stars. The only problem I have with the first disc is that "Give and Take" should be in the place of "Mirage."
Disc two is where the problem is. Some songs are soooooo horrible ("Well All Right," "Veracruz," "Nowhere to Run," just to name a few). These songs and others should have been replaced with live cuts or better studio songs. The only live songs in the whole compilation are "In a Silent Way," which is superb, and a mediocre live version of "Dance Sister Dance." Where's the live "Europa," "Soul Sacrifice" from Woodstock, or even a live "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen"? Santana is one of the best live bands in the world, and having only two live songs is disgraceful.
Another thing that I don't like is that the liner notes refer to Santana as if it's been a solo project from the start. "His" albums, "His" songs, "His" music. Santana was a BAND, with each member contributing EQUALLY to the music, both in writing and in performing. Basically, 12 of the 16 tracks in disc one is the original band, and you can tell where it all started to go downwards, when the original members strted leaving. From there, Carlos was basically the only constant member. And by the way, Neal Schon is playing guitar in "Everybody's Everything," not Carlos.
Don't get me wrong, I Love Santana. I'm HUGE fan, as big as they come. That doesn't mean that this is a real "Essential" album. Get the two "Best Of" albums instead.

Five stars for disc one, three for disc two.......2006-04-26

At his prime, Santana was brilliant. This compilation definetly gives us Carlos' best. But it also gives us some of his worst. Look over my list of pros and cons...
Pros:
1. More great songs than you can shake a stick at: Jingo, Evil Ways, Soul Sacrifice, Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen, Oye Como Va, Everybody's Everything, Toussiant L'Overture, La Fuente Del Ritmoa, In a Silent Way, She's Not There, Eurpoa, Well Alright and the Healer included but there's lots more.
2. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better guitarist than Carlos Santana.
3. His classic late 60's-early 70's period is rightfully given the most attention.
4. Available at most record stores for a low price.
Cons:
1. Too much filler on the second disc. Dance Sister Dance, Open Invitation, Aquamarine, You Know That I Love You, All I Ever Wanted, Hold On, Say It Again...etc, etc, etc.
2. Caravanaseri, a true gem of an LP, is represented by only one cut (La Fuente Del Ritamo). Somebody had better play the record companies Look Up (to See What's Coming Down) or Every Step of the Way.
3. Nothing past 1989 was included. Which is too bad, because I really do like the song Smoothe.
Even though the one-disc Best-of is about as good, the one-disc best-of doesn't include She's Not There, In a Silent Way, La Fuente Del Ritamo or Well All Right

the best for its price.......2004-06-24

for the a price of about $20 this is the best compilation of santana that money can buy. True, a few songs have been left out but on the whole it is a solid cd with santanas greatest works.

Average customer rating:

Essential Rock
Stevie Ray Vaughn , Bob Dylan , Santana , Cheap Trick , The Clash , Electric Light Orchestra , Cyndi Lauper , Ozzy Osbourne , The Byrds , and Men At Work
Manufacturer: Legacy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000R0ECEI

Product Description

TRACK LISTING: [1]. Pride And Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble [2]. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper [3]. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) [Mono] - The Byrds [4]. Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan [5]. Oye Como Va - Santana [6]. I Want You To Want Me (Live) - Cheap Trick [7]. Turn To Stone - Electric Light Orchestra [8]. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne [9]. London Calling - The Clash [10]. Down Under - Men At Work

Average customer rating:

The Essential Pop Sampler
Billy Joel , Frank Sinatra , Willie Nelson , Tony Bennett , Earth Wind & Fire , Santana , Miles Davis , Luther Vandross , Simon & Garfunkel , and Johnny Cash
Manufacturer: Pop
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0009Y9KOO

Product Description

Includes: Piano Man, Saturday Night (Is The Loneliest Night in The Week), On The Road Again, The Best Is Yet To Come, That's The Way of The World, Samba Pa' Ti, So What, Here and Now, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Ring Of Fire

Average customer rating:

The Essential Santana
Santana
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000EU1KE6
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Average customer rating:

Essential Rock
Various Artists , Stevie Ray Vaughan , Cyndi Lauper , The Byrds , Bob Dylan , Santana , Cheap Trick , Electric Light Orchestra , Ozzy Osbourne , and The Clash
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000JQY1HS

Product Description

Stevie Ray Vaughan "Pride & Joy", Cyndi Lauper "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", The Byrds "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season) (Mono)", Bob Dylan "Like a Rolling Stone", Santana "Oye Como Va", Cheap Trick "Surrender (Live)", Electric Light Orchestra "Turn to Stone", Ozzy Osbourne "Crazy Train", The Clash "London Calling", Men at Work "Down Under"

Average customer rating:

The Essential Santana
Santana
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music

Guitar Gods | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Latin Rock | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006YY1H
Release Date: 2002-12-09

Tracks:

Jingo
Evil Ways
Soul Sacrifice
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
Oye Como Va - Tito Puente
Samba Pa Ti
Everybody's Everything - Carlos Santana
No One to Depend On
Toussaint l'Overture
Guajira
Fuente del Ritmo
In a Silent Way [Live]
Love, Devotion and Surrender
Mirage
Carnaval
Let the Children Play
Jugando

Tracks:

She's Not There
Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana) [Live]
Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) - Carlos Santana
Stormy
Well...All Right
Open Invitation
Aqua Marine [Live]
You Know That I Love You
All I Ever Wanted
Winning
Hold On
Nowhere to Run
Say It Again
Veracruz
Blues for Salvador
Healer - John Lee Hooker, Santana

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