Abraxas

Somehow I managed to own this album on vinyl when I was about 15 years old. I have no idea where I got it from. It didn't belong to my parents. Maybe a friend had given it to me for some reason .I would listen to it on my parents record player. Santana can jam. I used to listen to this one and the Santana album Caravanserai quite a bit. The rhythm section on this album is absolutely killer. A lot of the album sounds tribal. My standouts are Se A Cabo, El Nicoya, Samba Pa Ti, of course the classics Oye Como Va and Black Magic Woman. They really put on a percussion clinic on Incident at Nashabur. If I could I would do 4.5 stars.

Familiar style and tone right from the opening track, which had Santana’s signature sound right away. Two tracks were already known to me as staples of classic rock radio during my teens. I will be giving more Santana a listen in the future for sure after hearing this album.

Couple of classics. But a bunch of 70s trash mixed in. Good listen!

it’s rock

Some classics. Good vibe, would maybe listen if in the mood.

Guitar magic. High 3.

Oh wow. I hadn't heard this in such a long time. It's so damned good. One of the best groove albums on the planet. Got me revisiting the first and third Santana albums -- which are also fire. Seriously, have a puff of your favorite combustible, pour yourself a drink, slap on the cans, and just let ol' Carlos take the reins.

I enjoyed this album way way way more than I thought I would. The Latin-style is cool and it’s cool background music to have on while working.

This is a great album, I've already owned and listened to this a lot

Yeah, a superb piece of music. It feels timeless and if feels like a peak of musicality. I've heard parts of it many many times, but the whole is just so easy to enjoy. It's going to get my rare five star rating. Why ... It's got so much more potential to enjoy as time passes. Thanks 1001, a worthy addition.

I remember thinking while I listened to it that I quite enjoyed country related things, but that's my only memory

A really cool album. No favourite songs in particular, but I’d definitely listen again!

singing winds, crying beats- i like the drums and bass and wished they had more emoahsis instead of the boring ass guitar and keys. 5 black magic woman- 5 or 6. wish it gave me more oye como va- 6 incident at neshabur- 6 or 7 se a cobo- 6 mothers daughter- 7 samba pa ti- 5 hope youre feeling better- 5 el nicoya-5 shoulda taken an edible before listening. fav track- mothers daughter

gostei pkrl e é isso aí. queria dar 4½ estrelas mas esse site fascista não deixa.

Esóterico. O albúm te traz o desejo de não pensar, apenas sentir. Sentir cada batuque, cada nota e cada tom que você conseguir captar. É um albúm para se ouvir mais de uma vez, de preferência de formas e condições diferentes. Sozinho ou acompanhado. Sóbrio ou chapado. Em uma segunda ou em um sábado. De preferência, as últimas opções.

I should listen to more Santana

Legit classic.

Carlos Santana is so widely regarded as a guitar god, but then so it Clapton and he sucks, so I've always thought of Santana as overhyped. You see him in music documentaries and he's always, and I mean ALWAYS dropping names, jazz names like John Coltrane, and I think, man, you never played with him, stop that. Then you run across something he did with Alice Coltrane, but then he shows up at those big wanky all-star shows a little too much and I think he's really trading hard on his rep. But you know what? That cat can PLAY.

Decent Santana. Latin music with some familiar hits

Blends into itself very quickly

It’s just nice to have an album that’s most well known for its guitar that doesn’t suck (the album, not the guitar). Seriously, how hard is it to have an album mostly based around good guitar that’s not self-indulgent crap?

Absolute fire. All the instruments here are firing on all cylinders and feel so tight. The pronounced Latin influence mixes so effectively with the psych rock elements.

not my style but still enjoyed some songs surprisingly 3/5

Fun album, can’t give anything less than 5 stars. Favorite track: Oye como va other picks: black magic woman, se a cabo (reminds me of mi2 theme), incident at neshabur and the jazzy samba pa ti https://music.apple.com/us/station/the-abraxas-special-santana/ra.1532120202 (Miles Davis called Santana to offer complements to the album 😊)

Not for me

Good album. Nice variety of sounds.

Fav: Mother’s Daughter Least Fav: El Nicoya

So many intriguing sounds but so little focused tension or release throughout the album.

Great album

Really enjoyed this. Short but punchy. Will likely revisit.

Santanas masterpiece. Superb music and musicians. Great arrangements, great lyrics, overall awesome and runs smoothly. The intro is mot great bit after that its pure fire.

Excellent work

Samba Pa Ti is on eof the greatest tunes on earth....

This is a five for me. A genius guitarist who does not "show off" but always prioritises musicality. Very recognisable style yet varied and never boring. I'm not that much into latin styles but this is fantastic. I knew several songs from the album but never listened to it in its entirety. Every song is good. For all these reasons and because Santana is really influential, a decent five.

good Latin rock

Important because of its injection of latin rock into the mainstream of popular music in the United States. The hits were the covers of "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va", that appear in the first half of the album that sort of is a concept suite about meeting Abraxas (which in the Bible is a word for God), as a black female. The playing and arrangements are inspiring, while the flip side of the album trails off into what feels like middling collection of blues driven riffs and roars that are occasionally accompanied by standard Latin American rhythm sections.

Not bad at all

Of course I knew the hits Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va before listening to the rest of this, but there were some other good songs on here I've been missing out on, like Mothers Daughter and Hope You're Feeling Better. This had less guitar solos than I was expecting, but the percussion section was on point for the whole album.

Santana!! I've always loved that name for how close it resembles Satan, or Satanas. Ave Satanas!!! lol but dude, this album is going to be fire! Dude is that pigeon eating that lady out? lmao. OMG I love the intro to Black Magic Woman. I'll give it 4 stars

Santanas music appeals to a broad audience. I’m not in that audience

I rolled my eyes so hard when I saw today was Santana, but was surprised I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would! (as background music) It got a couple of repeats, but now I think I've overdosed and never need to listen to Santana ever again.

Love it

A very pleasant version of 60's rock, with some added latin influences.

Santana has been a major figure in psychedelic and Latin Rock since their self-titled debut album in 1969. And after having big success because of the Woodstock appearance, the follow up album was only more spectacular and even better. 'Abraxas' shines with the sprawling guitar work by Carlos Santana as well as the overall warmth the album gives out. I think it's a bit sad that this is the only Santana inclusion in the 1001 albums list, as at least one or two more would be more deserving for such a guitar legend. But at least they chose the right one to include here. 'Singing Winds, Crying Beasts' opens the album with ominous and nocturnal sounds made by piano and some sort of wind chimes. The guitar enters like a beast and from then on the song blends Latin Rock with Jazz Fusion elements and keeps the ominous and spiritual vibe from the beginning. A great instrumental intro track that really stands apart from most other songs on here. The following 'Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen' is the first song to really show the incredible guitar ability that Santana can offer. The song goes a much blues-ier way and the vocals just emphasize that, mainly because they feel like something you'd hear on a Cream record if they were doing Latin Rock. The fast outro just ends the song perfectly. An incredible song and easily one of the best ones in the entire Santana catalogue. In my opinion even better is 'Oye como va', just because the chorus is what comes to my ears every time I think about Santana. It is burned into my brain like only a few other things. The drive of the song, the bridge, the guitar, the extra tropical feeling because of the Spanish vocals and slight Salsa influence... It just flows like honey except the honey as a little bit of LSD added. The first half ends with 'Incident at Neshabur' that goes into more Jazz influence again and it works perfectly. While the song might not be as great as the song before, it is without a doubt one of the best ones on this album. Especially with that piano/guitar duo near the end. 'Se a cabo' opens the second side with a loud and rambling sound that climaxes into a stunning amalgamation of all instruments before turning quieter for a moment just to comes back as loud as before to throw you from your socks once again. More lyrics and vocals return with 'Mother's Daughter' and like before this feels very much like Cream only better and more diverse. The guitar really works as the chorus-like peak everytime it appears. Another highlight is the Samba inspired 'Samba pa ti' that features a very emotional and deeply connecting guitar solo that hooks you the moment it first comes to ear. It is my favourite song on the album, simply because I rarely hear a guitar solo that makes me as emotional as this. To compensate the very sentimental track from before 'Hope You're Feeling Better' is much more up-lifting and hard hitting including characteristics from Acid Rock and Heavy Psych as well as some Funk. It is incredibely groovy and full of delicous highlights. The album closes with Conga music which means it's the only song that isn't rock music at all and while it does close the album pretty nicely, I think the song just isn't as interesting compared to the incredible rest. favourites: Samba pa ti, Oye como va, Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen, Hope You're Feeling Better, Se a cabo least favourites: El nicoya Rating: decent to strong 9 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

wasn’t what i was expecting at all, similar artist was lenny kravitz on spotify so i didn’t think it would sound like this, it was like a latin rock jazz fusion sounding thing, it was good overall id say, not something i’d listen to but i enjoyed it, might have to listen again to see if it grows on me

The music just feels big and polished. Couple of all time tunes. Good album indeed.

Black Magic Woman // Oye Como Va // Incident at Neshabur // Samba Pa Ti // Hope You’re Feeling Better // 4.5/5

Fun fact, this album had a sticker on the cover that contained a Time magazine review of Santana to cover the breasts of the woman for commercial sales.

Fantastic psychedelic rock album! Classic tracks on here.

Was misled by the epicness of the cover. Latin music mostly fails to appeal me. Here there are a bunch of subdued boring latin infused songs or rather instrumentals with some good guitars and bass. An album labelled rock from a guitarist should be epic. This was bland. Liked: Black Magic Woman, Samba Pa Ti (lovely singing by the guitar)

I have never listened to an entire Santana album before listening to Abraxas. It had as many instrumentals as I expected, which isn't such a bad thing. "Hope You're Feeling Better" is a jam. How it was not a hit on the radio does not make sense to me, as it is right down the middle of what was playing on early 70's radio. The problem for Santana is people confuse them with their output from the late 90's with "Smooth." The band is more than just a few pop songs. None of the songs stick around too long as an effort to show off just how great Santana is at playing guitar. Carlos Santana is not aggressive in his playing to where the listener just "gets it" and wants to stop listening to the album. The hits are still great and the album tracks are a nice find. This album absolutely deserves to be on this list and I would recommend it to others.

Een gitaargod, gaaf dus, maar wel één die op North Sea Jazz staat. Dan is het even spannend hoe het gaat vallen. Oye Como Va is wel een dikke guilty pleasure van me. Af en toe zet ik die aan, met Chan Chan van Buena Vista Social Club er achteraan en dan kan ik er weer een maand of twee, drie tegen zonder dat ik naar Cuba of een ander Floortje Dessing eiland hoef te reizen. IK vind dit wel een lekker album. Het is best aanstekelijk allemaal. Ik heb blijkbaar een dag waarbij deze muziek werkt, wat niet elke dag het geval is. Daarnaast vind ik de lengte van 37 minuten voor zo'n soort improvisatie-muziek-album keurig. Vaak willen dit soort types albums van minimaal anderhalf uur maken ook al staan er maar 6 liedjes op. Ik ben positief genoeg voor 4 sterren. Geen idee wat er mis is met me vandaag.

My god, I loved this and it was such a surprise. I thought it was going to be another dull dad rock offering but no! This is what I love about the generator

Abraxas Never listened to a Santana album, my main knowledge of him is Black Magic Woman, his hair, old men in indoor markets in Santana T-Shirts and Smooth ft Rob Thomas. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, is very of its time in terms of title and psychedelic bongo atmosphere. I like it. Black Magic Woman is good. I know this is very famous and well loved but I do prefer the Fleetwood Mac original, although the mysterious bongos do add a nice texture. Oye Como Va, the main motif is so so familiar, I don’t know if I know the Tito Puente original, or some other cover, or whether it’s just a very relied upon Latin musical phrase that appears in lots of places. It feels like it was on Buena Vista Social Club but there’s no track with that name and I can’t be bothered to try and find it. For a jazz latin blues rock song Incident at Neshabur is actually very good, a real grower, becoming more expressive and more interesting with each listen. Probably my stand out. Se a Cabo could also be a terrible latin jazz rock shitshow, but there is a winning joyousness to it that keeps it fun and at least diverting, even if it’s not the strongest track. Of the two more straight ahead blues rock songs, Mother’s Daughter and Hope You’re Feeling Better, Mother’s Daughter works best, quite fleet of foot and dynamic, the insistent bass, both in the intro and the main song giving it a great sense of movement, while Hope You’re Feeling Better feels a bit leaden in comparison. Samba Pa Ti is another grower, although there is a fair amount of noodling, it actually feels very expressive and interesting, rather than self indulgent. El Nicoya, the only bongo jam, is fine, not least as it’s only a minute and a half. He does have a lovely fluidity to his playing, and he is also good at the more heavy rock moments, although more so on Mother’s Daughter than on Hope You’re Feeling Better. I know it’s not directly analogous but it's interesting comparing this to Cheap Thrills and the other Psychedelic Blues Rock from 67/68. It’s only 2 years later but technological advances in the studio and recording makes this sound a million times better than those albums, it’s got that depth and warmth. The skill and musical dexterity of the musicians, as well as there being more elements than simple blues rock, helps too of course, but as recorded sound, Abraxas is very good. Overall I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Latin Jazz Blues Rock is really not a genre I would actively seek out, and I was expecting interminable jamming and soloing with some jazzy latin steel drums, horns and bongo jams. And while those things do colour the album it is much better than those elements would indicate, and I enjoyed it more and more with each listen. I can now see why it has endured, why it’s so influential and why Carlos Santana is so well regarded as a guitarist. I’m not sure if I want to listen to any other Santana albums, my presumption is that they become a cheesy guitar wank fest, but of course I might be wrong. Anyway, the first listen was just about in the 3s, but with more listens I’ve actually surprised myself into a 4. 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽 Playlist submission: Incident at Neshabur

Great guitar and jams by the band quite a few radio classics on this album

I like bongos. That’s a start. So, it’s apparent that if you have heard anything by Santana then you know what you are getting into with every album. Well, this album at least. It’s not an album you can hate, that’s for sure. I can only imagine what these guys were like to see at Woodstock, high as fuck. You, not them. You can easily be taken away by the jams that they break out in every song. Choice cut: Oye Como va

Loved it. Fantastic sounds and perfect for a car ride

I've admittedly completely ignored Santana. I remember when 'Supernatural' came out in 1999 and vaguely understanding that it was a comeback from a rock legend filled with contemporary pop artists. I was always tempted to dismiss it as a shallow marketing gimmick but truthfully, I never disliked what I heard. Still, I was too anti-mainstream in my misguided youth to ever let myself grow to be a fan. Deep down though, I was curious. 25 years later, I finally see what I'd be missing of Santana's history. This album is fantastic, filled with great guitar performances and a heavy influence from Carlos Santana's native Mexico. It's expertly crafted and doesn't overstay its welcome. Really nice discovery.

Black magic womannn

Probably the album that did more than any other to add Latin beat/percussion to 60's music

Really enjoyed this. Having only heard Black Magic Woman before I was expecting it to be a full album of blues rock (which usually bores me). However it's much more varied than I expected, very eclectic mix of genres and styles. Also, it almost goes without saying, incredible guitar playing by the man himself!

Nice pairing for the Hendrix yesterday.

Man early Santana was pretty cool.

This album kicks ass on paper, but it just didn't click for me this time. Carlos shreds, the latin grooves are tight, but I wasn't feeling it. Maybe I needed a few drinks beforehand? It's a classic for a reason, I guess. I'll give it another shot when I'm in the right headspace.

First track is called Singing Winds, Crying Beasts. It's a very fun latin groove to it, with gorgeous instrumentals, a thundering cymbals and bongos raining throughout, along with a beautiful chime, piano, and an eventual shrieking guitar, I enjoyed very much, quite the lovely introduction. Next track is Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen. The instrumentals once again sing a lovely love song that gets me swaying hard to the rhythm. The first lyrics pop up, and play along very well to this song. Eventually, the rhythm picks up swiftly with drums and guitar carrying the groove heavily. This song was incredibly well done, so far, I'm quite impressed. After this, we have Oye Como Va. The latin groove keeps swaying, at a much heavier rate this time with this next track, in which I'm not educated well on the history of the song "lowrider" and its genre of origin, but this gives quite the similar sound and rhythm. While it's a fitting sound, I don't feel it fits too well sequencing wise, but still fun. After all that, we have Incident At Neshabur. This gives a classic rock sound, almost reminding me of something Queen would try, but this is before Queen, and this is a latin rock record. At first, I was not impressed with this song, feeling it lacked the inspiration and expression the rest of the record carried. then, once again, I'm surprised at a beat switch, and the beat slows down to breath, then slowly picks up again. I found it quite refreshing to have the track rebirth after it's fiery start. Soon after, we follow through into Se A Cabo. This song is one of the shorter on the record, just fiery energy, reminding me of the final song in the movie whiplash a lot. It's simply an exclamation, more beauty of a latin groove. I think its an alright medium point, and while I love instrumental records, they're always hard to carry without lyrics. The music must be inspiring and diverse heavily, and I don't always feel that with this record. But, not bad so far. Following that, we have Mother's Daughter. Just as I make the comment about no lyrics, we get a song about lyrics. Unfortunately, I had wished the lyrics had a little more substance, it was much, and nowhere near as overwhelming as the music is, as it shines when it plays out. I'm starting to feel a little mixed on this project. Then, we get to Samba Pa Ti, a record that starts slow once again. It's a crying lullaby, and I seem to quite enjoy what it is so far. While the tone for this song is meant to be smoother, the instruments tend to be a little harsher then expected, making me not enjoy it as much as I anticipated. Second to last, we have Hope You're Feeling Better. It's very similar to whats been brought earlier, much like Gypsy Queen. But, its all been done. I just can't with it at this point, idk. I'm not feeling this record. Final track is El Nicoya. Just a simple play out, reminding you of the sounds and energy this record is meaning to bring, and I think, an alright conclusion. In my opinion, this record isn't much. Through every record, I do research to understand the purpose fo the songs and record in general, and maybe it's my lack of knowledge on latin cultures and the bible, but I didn't grasp much of this record. Loved the production at most parts, some of the lyrics fit, but at times this record either tried too much or tried too little, and I'm fairly disappointed looking at its short length. It had one job, and sadly, in my opinion, missed the target. I will take the grains of songs I heard and enjoy those on their own, but this record? It's just okay, I wouldn't obsess over it. Oh well.

Love samba

Classic 70’s guitar rock

this album uses a lot of very interesting instruments, it’s mostly an instrumental album with the occasional lyric which i really enjoy, gives a jazzy feel without the classic drive on the drum and traditional instruments that would be in a jazz song, some of the instruments get to do a solo

did not want to stop listening - was disappointed when the album finished it was just a great vibe and excellent music

Fun listen, needed more acid in my system tho

Beautiful Percussion and Guitar playing. Fun listen.

A lot of songs that have been played to death, of course. Astounding how many this album has, I had no idea.

Who knew that latin and psychedelic would work so well together?!

Some great covers here that became classics for him, other parts of the album feel a bit generic and not as riveting.

Good album!

This is a flawless album. Everything about it from drums, vocals, rhythm, lead guitar and more are executed perfectly and beautifully. Perfect

fantastic, tasteful culmination of Latin, jazz, and rock

Santana is undisputed as a Guitar God, and this album, along with 1999’s Supernature prove that, though I have to give a shout out to his instrumental Santana Bros. This earlier work show cases some of his best work, pulling from his childhood playing on the streets of Tijuana. Black Magic Woman is an example an artist taking someone else’s song, on this case Fleetwood Mac, and owning it. Oye Como Va is Mexican folk rock at its best. The irony is this guitar hero would be extradited back to Mexico today. Kinda’ gets you thinking 🤔

While I've always considered myself a Santana fan, I've mostly been a greatest hits guy. I can't remember listening to an entire Santana album except for Supernatural until this past year. I did see Santana live on the Supernatural tour in 2002-2003 timeframe and even got to meet him after the show through a radio meet-and-greet. Anyway, Abraxas is basically a Santana greatest hits! Great album by a transcendent guitarist. I listened to this one three times over the last 24 hours. My favorite tracks are "Oye Como Va", "Se a Cabo", "Samba Pa Ti", and "I Hope You're Feeling Better".

Really enjoyed this - great sound. Have always heard of Santana but never listened to him.

Very cool happy tunes, cool guitar, great for playing while walking in the mountains or in a car (enjoyed the album in both settings)

Singing winds, crying beasts

Ok Santana! Ok groovy time! Ok wind chimes! Oh “Black Magic Woman”…. A song that sounds kinda like sex should. Come on cowbell in “Oye Como Va”! I love the guitar on this album of course—shout out the solo on “Hope You’re Feeling Better”—but I think the diversity of instrumentation on the album is especially noteworthy.

This classical Santana album has everything you need including the wonderfully esoteric ambientish intro. We don't need to say anything about the hit songs.

A Masterpiece! funnily enough im not one to usually be able to get through mostly instrumental albums on one listen, but every song on this album felt so fun and so interesting that it never occured to me to turn the music off. Santana is a legend and this album was a definite must listen. 9.5/10

Absolute nailed on stone cold classic. The vibe on this album conveys so much fun and integrity. It's like they did it because they really enjoyed jamming together. I bet they were great to watch live too.

I appreciate the dude, I really do. A pox on his family though for giving us Matchbox 20 forever. This was ok.

Didn’t think I was going to enjoy this but turns out I really thought it was great. Using the Apple Music rating system gave this album an average of 4.6 out of 5 for me. Stand out track for me was Mother’s Daughter. Also on a side note the production of the album is top notch. Thanks for introducing me to this great album.

I was too young to appreciate this. Then I got older and understood

Never would have listened to this album if not for this site. Fantastic music

Abraxas is more than just its hits. Beyond the legendary classics like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Cómo Va", the deep cuts shine with a rhythmic conversation between percussion, guitar, and organ. It’s an expertly crafted, timeless masterclass in Latin fusion rather than a simple jam session.

This was my first time listening to this entire album, and it’s very impressive to hear the blend of genres. It’s obviously a crossover of Latin music, jazz, and blues, but it also shares many characteristics with prog rock and has a bit of psychedelic influence as well. While Carlos Santana’s guitar work garners much acclaim, the musicianship across the board is top-notch. The bass, keyboards, organ, and percussion each contribute significantly, so that every member complements and elevates the others.

Production: 3.5/5 Lyricism: 1/5 Sound: 3.5/5 Enjoyment: 2/5 Overall: 2.5/5

Haven't really listened to Santana since probably the early 80s. Gonna have to add a few of these to my rotation. Still holds up very well.

Great musicians who sound like they really love making music. Lots of fun.

Another 4/5 that could honestly be a 5, but I just... Idk. The 5 is so sacred. The 1 and the 5 barely exist on this chart to me, but the 2-4 leaves so little room. It's a toughie for sure. Amazing guitar, upbeat, smooth. Love the cover art, as well.

So smooth (but thankfully not Rob Thomas smooth). My nine month old was dancing her butt off from the moment Carlos came in. I love how well these tracks flow together. Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va are obvious highlights but there wasn't a track that didn't work.

Tolles Album mit abwechslungsreicher Musik.

If the only thing you want is guitar solos this is the album for you. Not for me.

4"

A lot of amazing free flow sounds. Jazz/rock/spanish/blues all wrapped together.

i luv it. it makes me feel nice. it's smooth.

Good album! I love how this doesn't seem to be confined by genre. It's just high energy instruments and vibes. What more could you want. Best Track: Incident at Neshabur Worst Track: Hope You're Feeling Better

Best Song: Oye Como Va Worst Song: Singing Winds, Crying Beasts

Meh not something I'd go back to

undoubtedly talented, just not my thing.

Great guitarist, but not for me.

very nice and diverse,

This was a very good album!

Great use of Spatial Audio. Vocals are sparsely deployed, but effective. Tracks like Samba Pa Ti are a showcase of just how much can be said through aural tone without words. Guitar work is obviously prime but the complexity of the percussion on most tracks was also impressive. Listened to: walking through Golden Gate Park. Favorite tracks: Black Magic Woman, Incident at Neshabur, Mother’s Daughter, Hope You’re Feeling Better

It was vibey

Good

Well, Santana's guitar us spectacular and I do enjoy the Latin rhythms, but it's all about that guitar - the rest is just, 'meh.

A classic.

Nice grooves and jams. Better without vocals.

Santana's listless aeolian noodling has never done anything for me, and I've always preferred Peter Green's original version of Black Magic Woman. There are a few decent tracks, but the most interesting parts of the record are always when Santana isn't playing. 2.5

"I didn't ask for Santana Abraxas" - A Serious Man.

An almost good album. Definitely has it's moments, but often interrupted by the magic of the guitar.

1. Arrechísima y chill out, liked 2. I know it's a clasicazo. Arrechísima too. 3. Siempre la amé 4. Chilleo, se pone sabroso al 3:08, riquito pa background effing 5. Muf de bodi, like amigos invisibles 6. Alto riff intro, sabrosón. Calidá 7. Samba Pa Ti, pues. 8. Sounds kinda triple equis and Hendrix, like the people who made Peach Fuzz from VH1. Buena. 9. Outro con tamborcito y charrasca

Better than I remembered. Great mix of Latin/60s rock.

Typical santana

Chill

parts are great most are ehh

Lots of air guitar not a lot of singing. 8/10

Not sure what else to say but this was a pretty cool album with some tasty guitar licks

rock classico de qualidade, com uma pegada latina que dá um tempero especial pra esse gênero já tão desgastado (aos meus ouvidos, pelo menos)

This album is great. I've heard it many times before. Carlos Santana's excellent guitar work is at the forefront here. But the album has everything you want too - good mood building at the start, really solid tracks throughout and several incredible songs.

Great latin psych blues rock.

There is one banger here

He's good. I just dont like Santana

Nice to hear this album as a whole.

Incident at Nashabur. Never heard. New-found favorite. So many different moods in one song. So happy to have found it. Santana is a genius. Someone I don’t turn to often, but really enjoy, so should learn to. Smooth rocked my young mother early 2000s world in the Jerz.

Wonder if Willie Bobo is on the list.

Favorite Track: Black Magic Woman

Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen Oye Como Va Se A Cabo Samba Pa Ti Hope You're Feeling Better

Classic dad rock

I did not expect to like this album as much as I did. I only really gave it a casual listen instead of active listening but I will definitely not hesitate to listen to it in full again. The style of the album is very notable and the instrumental work is insanely good.

Great latin rock album. Class guitarist and song writer.

A solid first album to kick things off. Solidifies for me that Santana has one of, if not THE, most distinct tones and playing styles of all the guitar greats. I didn’t realize how prof his early stuff was as I really got to know him during his “Supernatural” days when I was younger.

Jazzy, funky, excellent bright, crisp guitar work. What is not to like??

It's good but I think Santana has retroactively made this sound dated by just rehashing this sound over and over again through the years with little interpretation. 3.5*

I'm happy to see this record on here, I've always loved it. Santana is one of those guys who can play one note and you know it's him. He has such a unique style and sound and there's just an unmistakable tonal quality to his playing that nobody else can replicate. And I really think this album has some of his best playing. The whole fusion of Latin jazz, rock, even samba is something that everyone should hear and I think most would appreciate. I can understand that this kind of music might not be up everyone's alley, but you can't deny the musicianship on this record is top notch. Production is great too - such a big sound and very well recorded. I just wish it was longer. 4.5/5

Not bad

Really enjoyed that album, start to finish. Makes me want some straight tequila

Strong mostly instrumental Latin Jazz. Standouts include Black Magic Woman, and Oye Como Va.

Reminds me of smoking roaches in my teenage bedroom. Great stuff.

Really excellent atmospheric sounds, a solid album. Good flow, good tracks, awesome guitar work from Santana, he makes his instrument sing.

I know this is heresy, but I'm not a fan. He plays well; I just prefer not to listen.

That Santana's Greatest Hits everyone had...this is virtually it!

Some classic rock staples here. Just never been that into Santana — or noodling in general.

First ever full listen and I dig it.

Very groovy and catchy, kind of has a jam session quality to it and doesn't overstay its welcome. Enjoyed this a lot.

bello ma non bellissimo, potente ma non potentissimo

che vibes potentissime

Molto molto figo

È intrigante davvero ma non aveva abbastanza momenti canori per interessarmi come si deve.

I still can’t believe Santana has been cooking for this long. Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va are classics and I found a few others too. This was a fantastic album and I love that cover, reminds me of bitches brew or something.

Oh hell yeah, wasn't exactly expecting Santana on here. I forget sometimes that he was this virtuosic guitarist who performed at Woodstock, because my introduction to him was the poppy stuff he did in the 2000s. But the man can shred! I knew "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," which I thought came out a lot later - maybe he rerecorded at some point. Hell of an album though, so many tracks I'm saving. This is hard as hell and I'm really glad we got it. Favorite tracks: Singing Winds, Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Se a Cabo, Samba Pa Ti, Hope You're Feeling Better. Album art: Love, love, love this one. Insane artistic piece, a nude woman in the center of….no idea what, it's like a "name one thing in this pic" challenge. Brilliant colors, awesome font, just pure art. Fun fact: looking at the vinyl, there's some images on the back of women that were also featured on the back cover of Miles Davis' Btiches Brew. 4.5/5

Pleasant overall but not quite memorable enough

There were a couple of ageing guitar enthusiasts on my uni course who used to rave about Santana. I was 17 and into Techno, so always associated this music with the double denim crew. Listening now I wish I had given Santana more of a chance as this album is incredible.

Excellent. Very cool beats.

Incredible album. If you know and like most of the tracks without ever listening to the album itself, this must be a banger.

This record deserves its status as a reputation-maker.

4 stars. Great album. Too short for 5 stars.

Fire! But also a little jammy

Santana with guitar and shredding. Black Magic Woman is a good one.

Amazing.. no surprise this is on the list. Love the guitar (of course..), also all the melody/rift changes

Not great not terrible.

This is a good album and well deserving of it's place on the list.

Great balance of showcasing the guitar without making it all about the guitar. Super easy listen that I will definitely revisit all summer.

First santana album. Enjoyed it

Quite nice.

Biased opinion since two of these songs are all time stop what you're doing & turn to 11 for me. Santana transports you to another mode of consciousness without taking the little piece of paper on your tongue.

How can an album with so much going on at once sound so clean? I love the crispness of Carlos Santana’s playing, you notice every note. This is another album that may not be enjoyed by everyone, but it’s a fantastic master class (especially for guitar and organ).

really beautiful album with some wonderful guitar melodies and rock elements throughout - really like it.

Concise, decluttered, engineered, clean and punchy. Represents all of their best with hits on board. Remarkably replayable.

Don't like the hits, some songs OK

Loved oye como va. Very cool album from the 70s

Better than I thought it would be! Some great tunes.

A true classic.

Legendary album.

I can appreciate the musicianship here but, to be honest, the songs don't blow me away. There's nice elements of Jazz, Hendrix, Latin & Rock all nicely packaged into nice tunes. It's nice enough but nothing amazing. 2+ stars.

I assumed this was younger, but apparently, it's the 70s. Classic Santana

Latin Jazz fusion at its finest. What a legend.

so in etwa wie ich Santana kennengelernt habe in meiner Jugend - entspannter Sound zum chillen.

Welch grosser Gitarrist! Drei Lieder waren mir bekannt und gefällig, die restlichen erstaunten mich wie gut sie sind, mochte ich doch früher gar kein Santana.

Was sitting in the sun while listening to this, which is definitely the right atmosphere

Some tasty little jams throughout. Greggie on the vox and keys!

Probably one of the most blatantly unpredictable albums I've encountered yet. I had no idea what to expect from track to track which kept it interesting. You'll get these blaring guitars pummeling you on 'Mother's Daughter' and then this gorgeous slow song with bouts of organ and psychedelic licks with 'Samba Pa Ti'. Some of these grooves are impossibly tranquil and hypnotic - like on the song 'Incident at Neshabur' which coasts off into this glistening piano-led piece in its latter half. In general, this album successfully fuses traditional jazz elements with (primarily) Latin-based percussion and rhythms - maintaining this undoubtedly "cool" aura all throughout its modest runtime. Above all else, it all sounds incredible. This album cover captures what this album is for me; it's an album that's not afraid of sacrificing consistency for the sake of exploration and eclectism and I find that remarkably charming.

5/5 - love this album

Gotta love some Santana guitar work. Personal highlight is Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen

Carlos rocks. A must listen to - you know the hits, but the rest is great as well. Only complaint - - 37 minutes!

Thoughts before listening: Another album that I own, so I always enjoy being able to grab the record in the morning instead of queueing up Spotify. Early Santana has a very cool sound with Latin inspired music mixed with heavy rock and virtuoso, jazz-based guitar playing. Excited to revisit this album today. Review: Yeah this album is as great as I remember it. The hits are huge: "Black Magic woman/Gypsy Queen" and "Oye Como Va" have become mainstays of classic rock radio for a reason, and the album maintains this quality throughout. I especially enjoy the one-two punch of the heavy rock of "Mother's Daughter" followed by the latin-flavored instrumental "Samba Pa Ti". The stars of this album are of course Santana's guitar playing, but also the Latin percussion throughout. 5-stars

Difficult listen for me. Santana was a model for T and he loved this album.

Had absolutely no idea Black Magic Woman was a cover. Can confirm this one is way better than the original. This is one of those records that needs to be in the collection for pure playability, it literally fits any time or mood and for that reason verges on perfection. How incredible is his voice too.

3.5. Cool listen

not an ounce of fat on this bad boy

Guitarristas que pactan con entidades del submundo y hacen estas maravillas

It seems his guitar has a life of its own. And with it he creates a fantastic mystical world in 37 minutes.

I enjoyed the whole vibe of this album. It's easy to listen to, great background music. I enjoyed all the instrumentals and how lyrics were used sparsely throughout.

Day129 - i kinda was ready not to like this one but it’s pretty freakin good

Generally good but inconsistent.

Honestly did not realize that Santana was so old. Especially for being released in 1970, this album is amazing. Great job, y'all!

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: nicht nur ein Hall of Fame-Rockcover - sondern auch ein absolut einrahmenswertes Gemälde Mix: 🎧😘🤌 Musik: das Album tickt bei mir einfach alle Boxen ☑️ aber der letzte Funke will nicht überspringen... Wertung: 👼👼👼👼(👼)/5

Summery chill album.

No, just no! :-)

Very pleasant music to chill to. I'll give it a go for my next BBQ.

i think i know like 2 santana songs, but 70’s is top tier so i have a good feeling about this one

Ultimate come over and chill music. Good vibes but missing lyrical depth for me.

A really good album, but maybe not the best by Santana 4 stars for me

First of all, that album art is fucking amazing. I don't know what's going on there but it feels like weird renaissance art made on a persian carpet and that's pretty awesome. The music itself is great, nothing bad to say about it. I'd give it 4.5 but I'll put 5 because of that cover art lol

My favorite thing about this album was the runtime being under an hour, unlike the last 8 albums this list gave me. The guitar is also awesome.

Super fun, guitar virtuoso stuff, v groovy

All of these songs, and not one of them is the hit single "Smooth" featuring Rob Thomas? Hard pass.

There’s a boob on the album cover

Good background music but needed more Rob Thomas ;)

Not for me. 3/5

Fantastic. Very progressive at times with a he time changes. Carlos sounds effortless in his brilliance. Classic album.

The jams are fantastic, great vibe through the whole album - but it's definitely a few steps from polished. It's like this album is kind of a contunuation of their prior album. Along with Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen and Oye Como Va, my favorites are Se a Cabo and Samba Pa Ti

Aside from hearing some radio cuts of a couple of the hits, and the Rob Thomas - Smooth song, I wasn't really knowledgeable about Santana going into this. This album feels more like a jam session, but it's a really good jam session. I really liked most of the songs, but a few were a bit meh. Aside from the obvious Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va, I think Hope You're Feeling Better is a standout.

Legendary music from one of the greatest guitars of all time.

Cool album! I liked the sound and the overall feel you got from the album, felt quite exotic somehow. I didn't find any particular song that I liked, but I think all of them were pretty good. 'Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen' makes me think of an old coffee commercial though. The album felt cohesive and it worked well to listen to it in one sitting. Got a bit samey after a while, but not enough to get boring. I'm missing some more bangers for it to give it higher rating, still strong 3 though!

Surprised me as I was expecting endless noodling guitar solos. Instead i was treated to a fusion of an album where the songs still fitted to together. "Black Magic Woman" was really the star of the show with it's smooth latin beats and reminded me of listening to it while playing "Guitar Hero". The blend of latin beats, blues and rock worked really well. Strong 3.

4.25 stars. An excellent Latin(?) funk(?) rock album. I don't really know where Santana falls in the genres spectrum. He's an excellent guitarist. The composition and the mixing of his backing band creates a full, engaging sound that is great for sitting in a car or dancing around. There's not a lot of singing, but the songs that do have singing are all the more special. I can see why "Oye Como Va" is one of my mom's favorite songs.

Great Latin groves. Perfect for passive listening. Can't go wrong with "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va".

Black magic woman, oye como va, samba Pa ti. Need I say more…

Man some goodies here Oye como Va Black magic woman Honestly an album I doubt you could give the name of the song or who sang them, but very recognizable. Good instrumental album

This album took me on a trip - it had highs and it had lows.

The GOAT album for Carlos

Black Magic Woman and Incident at Neshabur have some nice grooves. Samba Pa Ti features a pleasant guitar solo. A pretty nice album with some latin beats.

Love it! Always have

Like some songs, don't like some songs. Generally not a fan of their music. 1.5 / 5

Rock, Jazz, 1970 -> 5

Wow, what a trip! The album started off as a wonderful Latin Jazz / Samba jam session (and a GREAT one at that), complete with the two very familiar singles of Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va. of course, the guitar work was phenomenal, but so was everything else! Then, it transitioned into Prog Rock, and holy shit, they are really, really good at that as well. The Samba influences and jazz tracks are still there of course. Then the album closes with a solid Latin Jazz / Samba piece. Hearing the two singles as part of the whole album allowed me to hear these works in a way I never had before. I was pretty sure I would like this one, but I was surprised it was such a solid 5-star.

Liked the most: Singing Winds, Crying Beasts Liked the least: Se a Cabo

Solid album. Pretty good.

pleasant musik

6.8

not on enough heroin for the instrumentals to be interesting

Not many lyrics but the superb playing speaks for itself and blends into the background nicely.

I'm sure I'll get hate for saying Santana was "just all right". Maybe you have to be in the right mood for it to strike you.

One moment you sitting in a jazz club and one moment you are enjoying even the smallest rhytmic from every arsenal of instruments while enjoying the rustic vocals. Great album and great experience .

Very funky some great solos, a bit repetitive for me but still a great listen

Santana is fantastic. What a collection of classics… Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Samba Pa Ti. A joyous guitarist with an equally as uplifting band.

Some standout tracks and Latin grooves.

Thiago: Experiência musical sensacional e indescritível Mother's Daughter me fez agradecer por estar vivo Ecstasy musical

This album kills from top to bottom. Second and third times through I skipped BMW & Oye Como Va because I’ve heard them 1000 times in my life and wanted to really focus on the rest of the album. I now think they may be my least favorite two songs on the whole album. 4.50

Not really my thang, some fun instrumentals here and there, nothing to really hit the soul

I find these lyrics of jilted male ex-lovers bitching and moaning about how their partner has moved on over noodly rock guitars so funny. Like... aren't u rock n roll? Deadbeats that can only find a partner cause guitar look cool then everyone realises they are deadbeats. Anyway the instrumental songs were okay but surprise surprise I don't like these kinda tracks. Fave track: Oye Como Va

It's Santana, so it's brilliant, of course. It's surprising that several of these songs were popular many years after their original release. I am not much for guitar riffs, but I really enjoyed listening to this album.

76/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Really enjoyable. Sits at a nice junction between all sorts of genres. Latin, rock, jazz, psych. A lot less unnecessary guitar wanking than I thought there would be.

very fun!

Relationship between artist and guitar feels intimate throughout. Folky vocals simple but effective.

This is a good working album bc it has good beats. Kind of like KGLW

First time with the complete album. Great. His guitar sound is legendary

The B3 ties it all together. Solid bueno.

Been a fan Santana's work for the longest time. Always admired his work. He always blows me away with his guitar work. It was awesome to sit down and listen to some of his early work.

Generally biased against a lot of (mostly) instrumental stuff, but the musicianship here is too good.

Good

Some serious classic bangers on this! To think he’d eventually fulfil his life long life dream and work with Rob Thomas! We all have to start somewhere I suppose. All a bit too guitar-y for me. This is what Rob Thomas does so well - pulls the guitar back down to laymen’s terms so we can all understand just how incredible it is. 3.1

This was simply a boring album. Santana is this legendary guitarist in my mind but… eh. There wasn’t anything special to me

A really worth listening album.

9/10 very good album got me in a good mood

Black Magic Woman Oye Comp Va Se a Cabo Samba Pa Ti Hope You’re Feeling Better Banger of an album. This is the type of album I think of when I say I want to listen to an album. Feels like it was constructed as one big piece to listen to rather then just a bunch of songs threw together. What a great listen.

The percussion in this album stands out to me, it's fast paced and complements at times, taking the lead elsewhere, El Nicoya is where they really get to shine on their own and I'm glad, I wish they were prominent through other songs as well. Overall it's a great album, if a little self similar at times, you can definitely find yourself listening to 3 songs without realizing you'd crossed over from one to another at first if you're not paying close attention.

Santana brought a Latin element to 60's psychedelic rock. Abraxas is the second studio album, which includes some of their biggest hits, like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va." Santana combines Latin rhythms with the wailing guitar of 60's psychedelic rock, and the combination was so successful that Santana's music is part of the songbook of classic rock.

Some serious nostalgia for me having listened to these tracks for years growing up.

Sensationelles Album, wenn die Stimmung dafür ist: Da bekommt die Legalisierung eine ganz neue Dimension...

Santana y su guitarra. Correcto. Sin más.

Groovy and noodley (but not too much - no track longer than 5 minutes), and a nice blend of fast & slow tracks. Must have been great to see this line-up of Santana live. Doesn't reach the heights of 5⭐ for me, but a very good 4.

Really fun listen. "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va" are classics but I also really liked "Samba Pa Ti".

Listened while cooking and it was pretty good background music.

just awesome

Brilliant album. Amazing music

I always kind of forget how brilliant Abraxas is, and although it's easy to space out in the second half, it's consistently a enjoyable record to re-visit. Carlos Santana plays 2+ hour live shows with nothing but indulgent guitar solos, and it's magnificent.

Whenever the rhythms and Santana’s electrifying guitar hits you, it all seems rather swell.

"Samba Pa Ti", Black Magic Woman" und "Oye Como va" sind schon große Klassiker. Wenn man aber noch das Große Ganze in einem Rutsch hört, dann gehört es zurecht zu den Meisterwerken der Musikgeschichte: Latino, Jazz, Rock mit viel Percussion und unglaublichen Gitarrensoli. Ein Traum

Not a big Santana fan, but a lot to appreciate here.

Some very good songs, though did not listen all the way through

All of that

Great Album!! Another album from my childhood. Black Magic Woman was a favorite of my father's. I love the cover art so colorful, sultry and my first introduction into collage. Favorite tracks: Samba Pa Ti, Oye Como Va

Just incredible!

It's nostalgic elevator music.

jaunty funky latin rock with a strong progressive structure throughout its runtime. some tracks are slow and steady, others get so unbelievably epic you'll be on the edge of your seat. dig those crazy congas.

Blast from the past!

DISCLAIMER: BIG RANT ABOUT THE CHOICE, BIASED ANNOTATIONS THAT DON'T EVEN COUNT AS A REVIEW. It sucks he probably will be the only latin american representation in this whole thing, because he's definitely not the best. I knew that before listening this record and I'm certain of it after listening to it. Don't get me wrong the dude is an amazing musician and the record is a nice mixture of genres, but there are a ton of better records made by latin american artists who have done more interesting things. If I had come across other albums before I'd probably have given it one more star because I'd have been less biased (And if there are more latin american albums consider this review a 3 stars and not a 2 stars one). Before Santana I'd have added Charly García (Either his solo work or his time in Seru Giran, Sui Generis, La Máquina de Hacer Pájaros), Gustavo Cerati (Either in Soda Stereo or solo), Luis Alberto Spinetta (Solo or in Invisible, Pescado Rabioso, Spinetta Jade, Spinetta y Los Socios del Desierto), Pappo (B.B. King said he was one of the best guitarists in the world, either his time in Pappo Blues or in Riff), Astor Piazolla, Gardel, Los Bunkers, Los Abuelos de la Nada, Los Saicos (Peruvian band from the 60s usually considered to be the first punk rock band), Babasónicos, Virus, Patricio Rey y Sus Redonditos de Ricota, Los Rodriguez (They're half spanish half argentinian), Café Tacvba, Silvio Rodriguez, Los Prisioneros, Mercedes Sosa, León Gieco, Andrés Calamaro, Fito Paez, V8, Illia Kuriaky and the Valderramas or even newer artists like Dillom, WOS, Ca7riel, Marilina Bertoldi, Kali Uchis, Miranda!, NAFTA, Peces Raros and many more. Best song was Hope you're Feeling Better Worst song was Singing Winds, Crying Beasts Looking forward to add one album to the user list when this is over.

A powerful piece of music history, “Abraxas” by Santana is recognized for having cultural, historical or artistic significance. With smooth guitar solos and a Latin rock vibe, this album is simply great.

That was pure rock and roll filth! Such a dirty album. Totally loved it. And only thirty seven minutes too.

Some songs are great and some songs sound like hold music. I feel like the keyboard/organist/piano player takes the spotlight more than Santana. Anyway, it’s a fine album, but instrumentals aren’t my usual thing.

Big fan of this album. My older brother shared this with me when I was in probably 7th or 8th grade, and it has been as fun to listen to now as it was then. I will keep coming back to it every once in a while.

what a dullard

Solid if unspectacular

Gorgeous

Love this album

Smoking a joint with my dad and listening to Santana is what I would've wanted the most but unfortunately the least likely thing to ever have happened ever.

Santana is pretty groovy. Great background music. Listens: 2 Fave Track: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen Rating: 4

Latin rock. I say Latin rock but there is a mix of blues, jazz, prog, psychedelic, etc all held together with the Latin roots. Incredibly raw and powerful guitar playing throughout the entire album, Santana is a god on the instrument. But while the guitar is amazing, I have to point out how important all of the percussion is on the album. It's what gives the album the Latin vibes the most I think. A bunch of fun jams that are easy to lose yourself in, I listened to this album twice in a row I was so into it. There is not a single weak moment on this album. I really can't wait to listen to this again. 5/5

I'm not the biggest fan of straight guitar play. But I am a fan of instrumental music which presence is lacking on this list. Other than that... Santana has a talent for easy going, merging-genre melodies.

What a way to start my journey. Heard the most famous song before but it's one of those albums that the not that famous songs are way better.