Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Cookingggggg
C'était drôlement bien.
8/10
loved hearing latin rock after all the previous albums.
I’m wholly unfamiliar with Santana’s work, but being a jazz head and listening to this for the first time had me mesmerized. The layers, the fantastic guitar playing, those incredible vocals—god damn. Definitely listening to this one again.
Sutil, íntimo, eléctrico, dinámico, juguetón. Son algunos de los adjetivos que me dejan ver la tonalidad única de Santana frente a los 70s, una mezcolanza de géneros realizada prodigiosamente por la banda. Un sonido envolvente y enriquecedor.
Another guitarist who's been on my radar but I've never really checked out. I recall listening as a child, though it would have gone over my head back then. The fusion of rock, Latin, and jazz isn't something I would have appreciated when I was younger. I'd have found it challenging, probably dismissed it as "too much going on." But now? I love it. There is just so much groove on this record. The percussion section all locking in together to create these driving, infectious rhythms that never let up. And then Carlos Santana just shreds on top, and the tone is unmistakable. It all works so well. The Latin and jazz elements aren't bolted onto a rock framework either, they're much more interwoven and natural. Tracks like "Oye Como Va" and "Black Magic Woman" are the obvious standouts, but the album holds together as a complete listen rather than just a singles collection. 4/5 easy.
Apologies to Santana, for only knowing his work that featured Rob Thomas and in M&S adverts, and for only just now realising Santana is the name of the band. I wasn't the biggest fan of the guy singing in English, but hey, it's 1970 and you've got to shift some records. But that's the only reason it gets a 4
Faltaron los ajos mientras escuchaba el álbum pero aún así fue muy divertido una de las cosas que le faltaba al rock psicodélico de los 60s eran más percusiones Siento que es complicado entrar a los que es santana porque musicalmente se entiende mejor desde el jam y la improvisación pero el inició de este álbum con 2 de las canciones más famosas de la banda hacen que el inicio sea más digerible y vaya creciendo lo mejor debe ser se a cabo y de ahí cae un poco pero es un buen álbum
the one and the only Carlos Santana at his finest
enjoyable
What a great psychodelic rock album, the singles are undeniable and very much essencial to the chicano music sub-sub-sub-genre. Oye como va is very much the main chicano anthem pretty much. But the rest of the album is a great listen and you can feel the crazy live energy they conjure with Carlos' guitar, the great percusion playing and the keys going everywhere. Another definition of an album that must be listened to from start to finish.
masterclass in guitar
I loved his guitar. Of course. And there were a couple of songs that surprised me. But knowing he is such a talent, listening to songs I don't completely appreciate, makes me wish he had created different music, more similar to blues, rock,... But to each, his own. 3,5/5.
Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:✔️
La diversité de genre proposé dans l’album wow. Les tracks ne se ressemblent pas et apportent individuellement un moment de fraîcheur. Dédicace à “el Nicoya” ou la partie drums est vraiment folle Album de vacances/10
Wikipedia call them a Latin rock group but I would say more Latin than rock. I was expecting massive guitar attack but much more laid back Latin rhythms and I'm a sucker for a good bongo beat. Can't be 5 stars as the two biggest hits are covers but certainly made the tracks their own.
Santana is really cool, Carlos is amazing at the guitar and the mixture of sounds like the bongo (i think) makes the ambience really colourful and psychadelic.
What an album. What a fusion. Adored it, adored
Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen Oye Cómo Va Samba Pa Ti
I enjoyed this a lot. 4/5
what a fucking cool album. beautiful beautiful instrumentals, feels very 80's disco groove
A second vibe in a dimly lit NYC diner album has hit the 1001albumsgenerator
Another edition of this album contains a Guitar Hero song that I was obsessed with. Black Magic Woman was my best song on expert mode. Cover art for this album is so cool. Also the fusion of Latin and Rock music just works.
goats for a reason
Today I learnt that Black Magic Woman was a Fleetwood Mac Cover!
7.75/10 - I really enjoy the Latin influences on the psych rock album. I think it’s warm, fun, and inviting. It’s a good album to vibe with or a good album to really pay attention to. Plays well both ways.
This is an extremely solid album. Black Magic Woman has always hit real well for me and the rest of the album is great.
I knew the singles except for Hope You're Feeling Better. I guess I was hoping for more guitar, but it's still very good. Mother's Daughter was a cool new find. Banger!
Awesome album actually. Hard Rick guitar mixed with Latin sounds. Works really well. 4.5 probably.
Damn, was this album good. Elite guitar playing and super smooth melodies joined together into some excellent songs.
Although not my type of rock, santana is clearly an incredible musician, shown by his fusion of rock, blues, jazz, and latin american music. His ability to blend these styles and sounds truly makes this a album you have to listen to before you die.
4/5 Rhythms drive the album. Leaving space for guitar.
A solid album with a strong Latin sound throughout. Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va were the highlights, but the album held up well otherwise.
Black Magic woman. Nostalgia do guitar hero 3, lendas do rock
Mostly feels like fairly standard classic rock with a Latin tinge. Nice guitars and keyboards. Obviously I was familiar with "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va". Solid songs. "Mother's Daughter" is a really great song. "Hope You're Feeling Better" is good too.
This album was great.
Santana at their very best, no difficult second album syndrome here.
El disco no se siente como una lista de temas sueltos, sino como un único e infinito viaje continuo de ritmo, percusión, fuego y esa guitarra de Carlos Santana que literalmente llora y habla.
tis gud. honestly I am biased so at first I rated 5, but for me this is like 4/5. Purely a subjective thing
While I didn't have much in the way of expectations for this, I didn't expect to like it. Although I also described it to someone else as "enjoyable background music," so maybe that's not terribly positive. But the chill vibes do settle into a comfortable place, and Santana's playing never feels wanky. It matches the song, and I appreciate his restraint when he could undoubtedly shred. An unexpected pleasure.
Santana is definitely one of my major music blind spots and I wasn't expecting much because I don't necessarily love music from this era that has a lot of meandering guitar solos and tangents... but I was quite impressed. Guess when the musicianship is that high those musical meanderings can be quite nice.
Santana music is always good
Yeah I mean Santana’s good. This album is good.
I am biased most of the time if I don’t know the artist but this album is good ngl
Que joya! Un sonido muy sorpresivo para la época combinando lo latino con el mundo de la guitarra electrica, no es que necesariamente no se haya hecho antes, pero su ejecución está muy pero muy bien hecha Mi favorita es definitivamente Black Magic Woman, pero es que no es como que haya bajado revoluciones después de esa canción en su álbum, otras como Oye Como Va y luego Se a Cabo son muy buenas, y estoy dejando otras por fuera Invitados a darle una oportunidad al señor Carlos Santana en su excelente álbum del 70
Oye cómo va and black magic woman are heat
I liked the ulbum alot,it's really peaceful,I also advice not listen to it in mono audio to get the full experience,the insruments and the sounds are ethereal.
Gotta love Santana. Mother's Daughter was the instant hit for me.
Another sick fucking album
toll.
Singing winds, crying beasts - 3 Black magic woman / gypsy queen - 5 Oye como va - 4 Incident at neshabur - 4 Se a cabo - 3 Mother's daughter - 4 Samba pa ti - 4 Hope you're feeling better - 3 El nicoya - 3
It was good. I don't know what to say
Liked it, knew more songs than I expected.
La banda sonora perfecta para soportar estos 30 grados de calor en mayo.
Great guitar album.
Enjoyable riffs and licks with a few songs I'd definitely heard before. I appreciated this record more than I thought I would, not knowing his back catalogue or ever having listened to his evolution. This made me intrigued to listen through.
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - Singing Winds, Crying Beasts pulls you into the mystical world of this wonderful album. The guitar cuts through like a knife and focuses the music. Black Magic Woman then gives us a more conventional song. I'm not sure if I think it surpasses the original but it's certainly very good. Oye Como Va is a masterpiece. Incident At Neshabur is great, as is Mother's Daughter. Samba Pa Ti is another masterpiece of guitar work, it's just sensational. Hope You're Feeling Better rocks.
Funky gitar
I forgot how good Santana was. Pleasantly surprised. Great guitar from Carlos. Lots of instruments Jazz/Latin influences . Type of progressive rock. Three hit songs stand out Black Magic Woman written by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac Oye Como Va Tito Fuentes Hope you’re feeling better
Really enjoyed this. Santana has a really special and unique sound which I find very evocative. Will be worth a revisit in the future.
Jazz, rock, and Latin is a combination I didn’t know would work so well. The first half of the album flowed so well that I didn’t even realize I was like four songs in. Interesting listen, I enjoyed it very much
Besides the music, easily the best album cover so far I've found through 1001, the music is funky too
Opening track is fantastic, love the bells playing with left/right audio tracks. Each individual song is great, but they blend together more than I’d like and I start zoning out at some point. Upon a relisten, it’s kind of amazing how well the album works as one giant song as well as individual tracks. Great example of rock of its era.
It wasn’t too much my personal taste but I did love oye como va and added that straight to my travel playlist.
Ik ben in een vrijgevige bui. Dit is trouwens hoe je gitaren doet, duidelijk de centerpiece in sommige nummers, maar zonder ooit overweldigend te zijn.
Groovy. Would listen again
love me some psychedelic rock and the Latin American influenced, is sooooo goood. i find this one surprising, due to how contemplative and disposed to long songs and passages was this one, considering what I expected from Santana and his popular songs in media. At the end, I've realized that this is despite all, classic rock. Somewhat different, but follows the expected patterns of short singles being the recognizable parts to the public, and some of the others and sometimes, lengthier parts of the music were left to the album. And sometimes, those parts were the best. I think here is that way. Good and a fantastic vibe. And the cover is wonderful.
Love it. Exactly what you imagine an album with this cover to sound like.
The lack of lyrics on most songs unfortunately holds these back from being really strong numbers for me. I like the guitar parts, but when you hold these to other songs from that era, Rainbow, Sabbath, Zeppelin, the outcome is less favourable in my opinion. When they do have lyrics it feels to me like Cream did, with my of a Latino feel, I don't mind it at all.
Listening to this was a lovely way to chill out on a glorious, warm, sunny day. A mix of classy guitar with some Latin American style and rhythm and a bit of Acid Jazz sneaking in with tunes like Incident At Neshabur. Despite the morally dubious lyrics of Mother's Daughter, it rocks out very nicely and my standout track is the Hendrix-esque Hope You're Feeling Better. A classy 4 stars for Santana.
Fucking awesome! I loved the sound of it and he is such an impressively stylistic guitar player. Some great songs!
This rocked, despite it being listened to while having a very bad sad day. Sort of after I guess. It rocked though, super hard. Will relisten when in higher spirits someday lol. 4.5
Increible él como guitarrista e increible como te construye el ambiente y lo va cambiando rapidisimo a su gusto, musica de calidad en su maxima expresion 9/10
Really good, has the energy and softness at the same time, cool 👍🏼
3.5/5
Favorite Track: Oye Como Va
============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== --------------------SANTANA------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- --------------------ABRAXAS------------------- ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------(1970)------------------- ============================================== ============================================== -----------------CALIFICACIÓN----------------- --------------------★★★★☆-------------------- --------------------(4,055)------------------- ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== 1. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts (★★★⯨☆) 2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen (★★★★☆) 3. Oye Como Va (★★★★★) 4. Incident at Neshabur (★★★⯨☆) 5. Se a Cabo (★★★★☆) 6. Mother's Daughter (★★★★★) 7. Samba Pa Ti (★★★⯨☆) 8. Hope You're Feeling Better (★★★★⯨) 9. El Nicoya (★★★⯨☆) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE TOTAL 3,5+4+5+3,5+4+5+3,5+4,5+3,5 = 36,5 ============================================== ============================================== PUNTAJE PROMEDIO 36,5 / 9 = 4,055 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CALIFICACIÓN FINAL ★★★★☆ (4,055) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ==============================================
Solid album. Some really interesting changeups in the track list and obvious bangers like black magic woman. Did not expect to vibe with El Nicoya as much as I did.
One of my favourite albums of all
sí estaba cocinando ese we. ocupo oir los discos que según son más jazz fusion
I like the black magic woman and basically almost every other song except for the one at the end that ends way too fast on this trippy album. I never took any drugs before but I bet this is what it would sound like and a pillar man is based off Santana so I gotta give it like a 9 cuz it's so fine
This is the kind of album I want to discover during this whole. How it's outside my normal wheelhouse atmospheric and enjoyable. Definitely adding to the digital library.
BANGERRRRRR magique love love love love
7.5/10 Will I add this album to my library? maybe
Great album. Great guitar the whole way through. Black Magic Woman is a special song and the transition into Oye Como Va is so good. There are some filler moments, but worth the listen through and through.
It’s Santana being Santana. It’s funny how many samples of this album have ended up on adverts, mind.
hell yeah a lost gem (to me) that i hadn't heard since my friend back in high school would play this tape constantly in his nissan sentra. memories....
Tenho que reouvir isto Bacano :)
He’s such a genius
Wow -- classic Santana! Most of Santana's music that I have heard has been much more recent... and much more refined and polished. It's interesting to hear this more raw and unpolished version of the band. Theres an amazing fusion here of Latin (I LOVE that percussion!), blues, rock and jazz. I think the strongest element is the improvisation -- technical but also full of emotion in the moment. Black Magic Woman is a classic, and I really loved Incident at Neshabur.
Expectation: -> I see this album's potential, for me, to be similar to the high floor, low ceiling analogy. Cannot imagine that 1970 Santana will wow me. Yet, he is known as one of the most talented guitarists, has a great reputation. After listening: -> Was expecting mostly solo guitar. This is all good, some of it really really good. Especially enjoyed some rock moments and the guitar solos. The talent is obvious. If this is critically acclaimed, and I am guessing that it is, I can see why. Track ranking: Mother Magic Samba Hope Incident Oye Winds Cabo Nicoya
Great, vibey, mostly instrumental latino rock music. Rhythmic & interesting!
Inte lika gitarrunkigt som jag trodde det skulle vara. Det instrumentala låtarna var klart bäst. Bra perc som gjorde mycket för svänget. Jag kan nog sträcka mig till en fyra.
Tänk att bo i San Franscisco på 70-talet. Vilket drag!
Now that’s what I call musíca!
Great music cultural moment.
Very NICE my head was bobbin the whole album this is a very nice recommendation.
Playful and inspiring instrumental album that combines rock and latin music together perfectly.
Objectively the correct form of guitar wankery. Great latin percussion with some really funky riffs. Good (if sparse) vocals. Was in the vibe and didn't notice it had auto-played into non-album tracks.
Psychadelic goodness, enjoyed this thoroughly. This sort of music puts me in a trance and before I know it the album is over. Unfortunately it's missing the standout factor required for me to give it a 5. High 4
Santana rips and this album rips. Tempted to give it a 5 but I've given too many. 4.5
Great for vibing, songs are a lot of fun, but need more structure
Oye como va is so nostalgic to me
now this is a really good listen!
Better than I thought it would be while still being the album with the song every Boomer bar band plays
There are some absolutely classic songs here, and to me it has always sounded kind of timeless even though it is also very much a product of its time. The versions of "Oye Cómo Va" and "Black Magic Woman" have become, to me, the definitive ones even as they were covers of established artists.
Rate: 8/10. Pachanguero y rockero.
Very good album. Emaculate and captivating guitar playing over some Latin beats and riffs.
Сказать нечего ту би онест
very vibey. not my usual thing but i enjoyed it!
good vibes and fun guitar work here. wild that santana released his best songs almost three full decades apart. favorites: black magic woman, oye como va
Dude can play guitar
Solid album. Not totally my jam but some classic cuts.
Not a big fan of latin sounds (and latin percussion in particular). I found this one is definitely good, but not great for me. For instance, I know " Oye como va" is a classic, but I don't really like it. That being said, I really enjoyed the guitar work (for instance in the jazz-inspired Incident at Neshabur, Mother's Daughter, or Samba Pa Ti). I also like the fact that the songs I enjoyed the most seem to be the ones written by Carlos Santana himself.
On paper It’s everything I dislike, but I really enjoyed the expressiveness
Funky!
fun and groovy. Larry Gopnik open your heart
Great guitar work. 7.3/10
Fácil de escuchar y con buenas canciones. 8/10
I had a really good time with this album, obviously Santana is a great guitarist but all I really knew going in was Smooth, so I kinda assumed it'd be a little like that for the most part. But I was once again pleasantly surprised, this turned out to be a lot more mellow and groovier than that. It feels like a group of guys just hanging out having a good time, which I can really get behind. Great stuff. Favorites: Singing Winds Crying Beasts, Oye Como Va, Hope You're Feeling Better
Sexy as hell guitar playing. Solid album, not much for me to say honestly.
En extra för Black Magic Woman
Classic Santana banger
Honestly I thought this was a really enjoyable listen. Admittedly I was a bit distracted, but liked having it on in the background. I can't give it a 4 and I'm too lazy to re-listen, but like 3.75 seems right.
Probably their best
4.5
great!
Great 9/10
Carlos Santana is a fantastic guitarist and this is a fantastic album. I absolutely loved listening to this and I quite enjoyed that the majority of the album is purely instrumental.
Neat debut, it certainly creates an atmosphere. My standouts are black magic woman (being the famous origin of the track) and Incident at Neshabur.
An interesting and fun album, something that you don't hear everyday. Also it is quite atmospheric Fav songs - Oye Como Va, Mother's Daughter 4/5
It was much more diverse than I expected and I enjoyed most of it. I had only heard the radio versions of the songs, and the album edits were more interesting.
Santana is an epic guitarist; this album is a must-listen
Really enjoyed this. Great, long instrumental sections alongside some decent vocals.
each song grooves bigly.
When this album came out there was nothing that sounded like it. I was attracted to it because as a drummer, I loved anything with percussion and the album is loaded with it
Pure sweet grooves. A classic for sure.
Quite enjoyed this as a more laid back album, however not quite strong enough for a 5
Got the vinyl out for this one. Some of Santana’s best work. Fun album.
I really liked it
Some almighty grooves on this album for sure. Obv Oye Como Va is a huge standout for me, even over Black Magic Woman. Incident has some cool ideas in it and I'd never listened to it all the way through. I think I had it on an ipod as a teenager but always skipped after the first few secs. SE A CABO BABY that shit is sick, a bop a bop a bop. For Mother's Daughter, I gotta say, their straight ahead 70s guy rock and roll is the weakest thing on this album but it's still pretty sick! Way better than the contemporaries also playing "first distortion pedal and organ" stuff. Samba Pa Ti is a little more laid back than I had hoped, was ready for some Samba de Orfeu type. But it has a really pretty melody. I feel the same about Hope You're Feeling Better as I do about Mother's Daughter. Aaaaand El Nicoya is a quick shade of what I was hoping for out of Samba Pa Ti! This record fucks. Easy high 4. If you're out there calling this elevator music... I need you to learn to dance. Move your body in rhythm in any fashion. Not everything instrumental is "elevator music", just try to get some groove in you.
I just saw Santana in concert; they put on a great show! “Oye Como Va” and “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” are both great songs off this album.
conocía una canción: oye cómo va
I didn't know this album, but I know who Santana is. I liked it, great mix between rock and salsa sounds
All-time classic.
The ferment of the 60s was more productive than we can easily imagine. Everybody welcome! Afro-cuban? Sure! Jam? Why not? It is, to me, too easy to not recognize that a whole world exists beyond the rock radio hits we get overly familiar with at the expense of the creativity produced in that ferment. My only problem with this? Who thought 37 minutes was long enough?
When the jam hits for just the right amount of time it’s brilliant. Just some jams too long for my liking
Nice late evening listen. Send dad.
Great transitional album from the 1960s into the 1970s. Well produced, a great experience, and essential listening.
Enjoyable chill
Groovy. Into it. Good Friday night jams...
No other rock band sounded like Santana back in the late 60’s, with their latin polyrhythms and blues solos. Wonderful sophomore album. 4
Very nice music, good to listen alone and chill or relax.
groovy I enjoyed, but probably wouldn’t choose to listen to it again fav songs- el nicoya, mother’s daughter, oye como va
La segunda canción de este álbum me hace sentirme a lado de mi abuelo en este plano terrenal, la hipnótica guitarra de santana siempre me ha llevado a lugares y personas que amo incluso cuando me encuentro en un plano diferente. gran álbum para ser el primero que escucho en esta app.
I like Santana, easy to listen to
Number: 91 Date: 04/03/2026 Artist: Santana Album: Abraxas Year: 1970 Genre: Latin Fusion Psychedelic Rock Rating: 4 Notes: Before: ======= I like Santana pretty well. They're not my favorite by any means but I do think a list of 1000 essential albums has to include something by Santana. Probably even a list of 500 and maybe even a list of 200. I am surprised to see this is their only album on the list given the authors proclivity for including multiple albums from so many artists that were popular in the 70s. During: ======= 3 Singing Winds, Crying Beasts 4 Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen 5 Oye Como Va 3 Incident At Neshabur 3 Se A Cabo 3 Mother's Daughter 3 Samba Pa Ti 4 Hope You're Feeling Better 3 El Nicoya ----------------------------------------------------- 3.49 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 3 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 5 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.3 composite rating
Along with Cream, Allman Brothers, Hendrix's Band of Gypsies, and the Dead this is 1970 jamband ground zero, exploding psychedelia beyond the fussy over-composed twee pop of London by sprawling out into improvisation of blues funk and jazz and, here, latin rhythms. The percussion and the guitar are the stars on this - constant polyrhythmic power and gritty dark overdriven SG tone and dorian / harmonic minor harmonies. The songs/writing and vocals aren't really much to remember but function as the vehicle for the jam/groove.
Heard this often as a kid and used to know “Samba Pa Ti” completely by heart.
That cover of Black magic woman was just the cherry on top, favorite Fleetwood Mac song, so amazing to hear a slightly different take on it. Loses a star for me because I love lyrics and this wasn't very heavy on lyrics
My fav Santana, doesn't feel to work out and cool album art
Lovely psychedelic jazz fusion stuff.
Heck yeah. Black Magic Woman is a forever classic
Fun enjoyable groovy
El álbum destaca por su profunda atmósfera psicodélica; el uso de los bongós es un acierto total, ya que logra evocar una sonoridad tribal muy envolvente. Sin embargo, el disco flaquea en su estructura general: al repetir los mismos recursos rítmicos y melódicos en casi todos los cortes, la experiencia termina volviéndose algo monótona.
Muy buen album para entrar a conocer a santana
Great music for a big summer cook out.
L’album s’écoute sans accrocs, avec une très bonne ambiance, du groove. Il accompagne à merveille un moment de détente (jeu ou dessin)
Sick cover, funky groves
I liked it. Few interesting tracks, and very nice soundstage.
Classic 70s
Easy to listen to latin rock.
A true classic of psychedelic rock, Carlos Santana has a magical and romantic sound that mixed with samba and a latin touch, works very well, also the guitar solos are incredible. Although I had already heard "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," the entire album surprised and delighted me.
Vibes, sexy, summertime Faves on first listen Oyo Como Va Samba Pa Ti Hope you're feeling better
Great album
Quality album brings back memories of my dad who loved Santana
A really fun fusion of blues, rock and samba. It feels really jazzy at points and I like that the piano, organ, bass and percussion take centre stage at different points in addition to the guitar. The cover of Oye Como Va was my favourite song from the album, but I enjoyed the entire tracklist.
Like a lot of people, I associate Santana with that shitty song from the 90s. People told me he was good, but I didn’t believe them because….come on, he made that song. Anyways, last year I listened to this album for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. I guess his tastes just got worse as he got older.
Santana es un capo. Nada más que decir.
Story time: this was one of my dad's vinyls but I wasn't allowed to touch it because my mom said it was satanic. I've got to ask both of them why, I'm guessing it's because of Santana's last name, though the cover can't help. Brilliant songs, he really knew how to cover and the organ and vocals and guitar are out of this world.
Santana has developed a reputation for smooth, polyrhythmic beats, and "Abraxas" is no different. Latin rock with hints of psychedelia, particularly on opening track "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts", Santana energetically slides from tune to tune, many of which are instrumentals. Carlos Santana doesn't really need his voice though; his brass inspired guitar style is as distinctive and dynamic ever, and his more restrained, jazzy playing on "Incident at Neshabur" is up there with some of his best. He is arguably outshined, however, by the remaining members of his band, who perform brilliantly in developing this vibrant, rhythmic LP.
A prime example of an album I’ve completely overlooked despite knowing it existed. I used to see this all the time in bargain bins at record fairs and still never picked it up — no idea why, because this is fantastic. From the moment it starts, you’re dropped straight into that mix of Latin percussion, warm grooves, and Carlos Santana’s soaring, expressive guitar work. The rhythms are alive and constantly shifting, and the guitar lines just glide over the top with real flair. It’s energetic, colourful, and full of that distinctive atmosphere only Santana seem to pull off. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Blistering guitar against Latin rhythms — what’s not to like?
I liked it crazy it also had some crazy album art. The vibes were good.
Who doesn't like Santana
This is still amazing after such a long time. Did hear it very often in every decade of my life. Can still recommend it.
I am pretty sure that Carlos Santana is the most famous latin music artist in the world and yet I had only heard of one of the songs on this album. But when I listened to it I knew three. "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen", "Oy Como Va" and "Samba Pa Ti". There is an interesting mix of musical styles in this album. The latin guitar, timbales and cowbell is present, as you would expect. But there is a definite psychedelic rock feeling at the start of Black magic woman and Hope You're Feeling Better. With some distorted synth organ and vocals making it feel a bit like Arthur Brown. But then you have Incident at Neshabur that starts like Duke Ellington has briefly taken over, then Iron Butterfly takes over. None of it should work, but it really does. This is a hybrid album and I like it. (3.500)
Enjoyed this more than I expected! An engaging mix of hard rock, prog rock, and traditional Mexican music styles. Very listenable, very fun.
Very groovy and fun.
This gets 4 stars for Oye Como Va. The Woodstock performance of this is incredible. Sure the rest of the album wanders around a bit, but it does give a good sense of the 70s
I thought this wouldn't be "my thing," but I think it might be "my thing."
Classic fusion of psychedelic and latin, makes for a very enjoyable album. Black magic woman and oye como va are stand out tracks.
Dad always used to listen to this album. Nostalgic.
Santana is a late 60s/early 70s artist that I’ve overlooked (Erin would say he’s a 90s artist thanks to the generational triumph that is Smooth). Glad I’ve come around to listen to this because it’s outstanding. Great guitar work obviously, but the work is a psychedelic Latin fusion that works so well. The extended jams are engaging and well performed. And that cover, so cool.
classic
it was nice i really enjoyed it i wouldn't say that it's a record with"hits" or particular highlights rather something that you listen from start to finish beautiful guitar good vibes
It can be hard to overcome prejudices, and when I think of Santana, the first thing that comes to mind is that Matchbox 20 song. Because of this, plus his status as a Boomer God, Santana really started in a hole here. Damned if this wasn’t so much better than I ever expected. It is both surprisingly Out There, and Surprisingly Tasteful. Maybe he only became cruddy when he got his first ostentatious flame top PRS.
STANDOUTS: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen, Oye como va, Mother's Daughter One of the most effortlessly cool albums ever made. This is the type of album you listen to on a tropical beach in the middle of the summer with no care in the world. No worries nor concerns, just pure smooth psychedelic bliss. I would also like to mention how well this album holds up after over half a century. I'm convinced Carlos Santana is actually a time traveler, because an album like this could be made in 2026 and still feel fresh and unique, let alone 1970. 8.5/10
Just a lot of fun, Oye Cómo Va being the standout
So groovy. So chill. Santana rocks.
piola, guitarras
The best kind of Jazz is not jazz at all; rather, it's the rock and metal bands inspired by it. Those artists who took the good parts (the instrumental smarts, looseness, mania), and abandoned the crap parts (trumpets). Santana's early work feels both loose and tight, jammed and rehearsed, and critically, they remembered that albums tend to have songs. This album has some good songs. Of course, without that South American style this would feel like just another rock band showing off. It's different for all us white boys sick of the same scales and tunes. It's a little bit witchy, a little magical.
I listened to this while reading some trashy vampire book and it reminded me that in one of the ‘Twilight’ movies, half the time is spent in South America. Mind you, a different country with a different language, but I still enjoyed the reminder. The songs were good as well, so that was a plus.
Solid album, and definitely a hidden gem. Not quite my thing, but I definitely appreciate having listened to it. Remarkably fun Latin rock with some sweet jazz thrown in. Doesn't overstay its welcome, each song has a unique vibe and some great guitar riffs. Would happily listen again.
Great allbum
I really like the musical explorations they take on this album. I love a good jam band, and while Santana is not a jam band, there’s similarities in getting lost in the music. They are incredibly tight and focused and everyone is playing perfectly in groove with each other. They are truly at the top of their game. A great album for this list.
Santana is a master of the Latin groove and he delivers it very well on all of the tracks of this album. Then when you couple in his icy guitar licks, Abraxas is something to really listen to.
Smooth guitar licks fronting these classic rock tunes, memorably accompanied by the Latin rhythms of the congas and timbales. While the album veers too jazzy for my liking, the quality cannot be denied.
Álbum incrível, com muita personalidade e uma identidade clara e única. As intervenções do Santana com a guitarra são super naturais e tão subtis que nem te dás conta que é o suposto protagonista. tudo muito bem integrado e com um groove latino que te convence sem muito esforço a balançar na cadeira. Certamente um álbum que revisitarei.
I love Santana. Oye Como Va...one of those rare instances where a cover is vastly superior to the original. Incident at Neshabur is Steely Dan's favorite Santana song. I love the electric piano/organ. Samba Pa Ti is like West Coast Latin Allman Brothers, great song. Of course it's Steely Dan that autoplays after the album is over.
Some legendary tunes.
Had no idea what to expect, but it's such a vibe. Some instrumental, some vocal tracks. Feels like I could be in Miami in 1970 on a sunny day, walking on the streets, maybe going into a diner for a burger or to a mexican restaurant. Looking at cool cars, enjoying life. Kinda jazzy, great guitar parts, organ sometimes. Some enjoyable Latin beats/rhythms/instruments. Get surfy vibes sometimes and it's chill and fun. Nice first album from this site.
Third one in a row that ive already listened to. Its decent, got me into Santana. 7/10 Favorite tracks: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen and Oye Como Va
This is when Carlos Santana became a legend, in my book. Oye Como Va is timeless, as is Black Magic Woman, but the other tunes in this short album are quite enjoyable, as well.
Love it
Rewatched the Big Lebowski this summer and my new favorite joke in it is when the Dude’s car gets trashed and they cut to them driving without a windshield eating burgers and listening to Oye Como Va.
This is such a unique album. Santana is a straight up American rock band. But the Latin roots and African rhythms are so heavy and influential here that they go way beyond American rock. Plus there's a Fleetwood Mac cover!? I'm still not a huge Santana fan but I really enjoyed this album. I'd highly recommend it.
Luv sum Santana. This albums fun with great Latin flare!
A very good album, especially given how heavily focused it is on instrumentals. Funky, smooth, guitar-heavy. In many ways a landmark.
Pretty good stuff
Saved? ✅ Would listen again? ✅ Would recommend to anyone? ✅ Would buy on Vinyl? ✅
Good jazzy Latino tunes.
Groovy baby
Creative and unique
It's hard not to be taken by an album that sounds like the artists are having a blast being in their element. I was familiar with some of Santana's stuff thanks to my dad's introduction, and it was fun discovering more of his work. It's a beautifully chaotic jam that had me shifting between bopping along and simply admiring the talent and enthusiasm.
Excellent album. Some classic tunes and just great musicianship overall.
black magic woman is such a banger thank u fleetwood mac
This was surprisingly cool fusion-y stuff. I was expecting it to be a little cheesy from what I knew of him, but I enjoyed.
Great, enjoyed listening
Loved the mix between jazz guitar , Latin style, and a reggae feel!
Es Santana. Guitarra copada con orígenes latinos, medio salsoso. Es único.
Not often that you have a guitar player that seems to almost speak to you through his playing. Quite a mystical power.
It's fine. Doesn't sound much different from many other guitar bands of the era. Personally I find they all start to sound the same
What a nice listening experience, just really great guitar work throughout that elevates this groovy experience. Also, it has such great influences from Latin music as well as jazz and rock. Santana has the stuff.
Not bad. I’m not a huge fan of long guitar solos but the drums make up for it
Super cool! Mars volta is an all time fav of mine and I can see a lot of influences in this one. Awesome!
Good i fw the latin percussion and i fw u and i used to crack to black magic woman
carlos santana, disco de la canción "oye como va, mi ritmo, bueno pa gosar", movido, muy musical, sample de cancin del chojin y wyoming, hope you are feeling better, 4/5
The latin-rock mix worked incredibly well and very clean production throughout.
Landmark album from a time when Rory Gallagher and Horslips were celtic rock kings in Ireland. Prominent latin vibe in addition to rock influences.
1.Cool sans plus 2.Excellent 3.Rythme latin, fusion. Bon arrangement, rock-latin fusion. Très cool 4.Arrangements incroyable, très cool 5.mid 6.Vocal, très cool!! 7.Sympa un peu prog, 8. bien 9. ok Très sympa, album fusion latino-rock-jazzy 3.5+/5
Acid drenched Latin grooves and face melting solos. This is so much better than the later stuff that was too awful for words. It does sometimes blend into one long track, but I have a sneaking suspicion that may be the point. It's like a gig on wax. Stick with early Santana, have a beer and a dance. Best Tracks: Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen; Oye Como Va; Samba Pa Ti
awesome!
Black Magic Woman einfach legendär und auch sonst ein sehr schöner Klang den dieses Album habt. Von mir gibt's vier Gitarren-Saiten :P
Oye Como Va
Я сижу в пабе, слава богу без телевизора с футболом. Играет этот альбом, вокруг из женщин только официантка бальзаковского возраста с автозагаром сильным настолько, что сливается с дубовыми стенами, покрытиями красной морилкой. Тусклый свет из китайского фонарика, непонятно к чему он, видимо подарок владельцу. Из посетителей только мужчины 45+, один из них прямо сейчас сидит неподалеку за той же барной стойкой, плачет и несвязно жалуется бармену на беспечную и любвеобильную ко всем кроме него жену. Пиво отстой.
Latin Jazz Rock and a bit of Psychedelia that shaped the future of Latin rock
black magic woman need i say more
Album 38 Top 3 favorites off the album: Oye Como Va, Se a Cabo, El Nicoya THE LICC SIGHTED IN THE FIELD Smooooooooooth. Even when it's moving, it's smooth. Loved the variety of instruments and blending of styles. Solid album.
great album
All about the instrumentals on this album. Tasteful guitar riffs and truly excellent musicality. The Afro/Latin beats at the end were pretty epic.
Slick, vibes, love it
Great sound, lowkey wish it was entirely instrumental cause those tracks were definitely my favorites
Santana obviously belongs on an essential listening list. His blend of '60s psychedelia, early '70s heavy metal, and Latin jazz is one of the highlights of that era of music. Outside the two songs everyone recognizes, the rest of the album is not as memorable, though still very enjoyable. I bet some of those tracks are amazing live; the studio versions capture the general vibe, but not the dynamic of the performance.
Pretty solid
Absolutely wonderful concise album, very little filler on here and a lot of amazing tracks
для меня это новый опыт, до этого совершенно не слушал джазовую музыку (как я понял она ближе к этому жанру). в целом звучит стильно, вроде смог проникнуться и по моему мнению это очень хорошо, как для знакомства с этим жанром
Oye Como Va and the Guitar Hero song. A really cheesy English singing voice.
Less rock and more vibe than expected. I liked it
A solid album. Black Magic Woman was my favorite on here. Santana is a guitar virtuoso.
Really liked this.
Too bad this is the only Santana album here, latin goodness. Already have this rated at 4.5/5.0 on RYM, but not sure if this one reaches 5 stars for me, strong 4 for sure.
Santana's one of those bands that I never really paid much attention to, even though they've been on my radar since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, so listening to this one was a fresh experience for me. And I have to say I dig it. It's got a nice mix of jazz, blues, and soul going on, all with a touch of Latin rock thrown in and some really nice guitar. Not quite enough for me to go the full five, but definitely a good solid four.
Signing Winds, Crying Beast 3/5 Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen 4/5 Oye Como Va 5/5 Incident at Neshabut 3/5 Se a Cabo 4/5 Samba Pa Ti 3/5 Hope You're Feeling Better 4/5 El Nicoya 3/5 Overall Album 3.63
Sounds like the soundtrack to the 70s. Trippy, tight guitar, that vibe that says let your mind expand and just see what happens. I was really only familiar with the hits on this one, but the whole album to me was a great and very enjoyable listen. Glad it came up in my rotation today! Solid four stars for me.
This one took me by surprise! Did not have high expectation but ended up enjoying a bunch of the songs on the album.
Virtuosic guitar, silly smooth. The songs were pretty cool
Like the album, knew a bunch of the songs, didn't realize it would be so instrumental but still likes it
Like nothing I’ve heard before and just so diverse throughout. Love the rock mixed with Latin music and really enjoyed the songs not in English. The instrumental tracks were less my speed but otherwise this was quite a groove and I was very impressed by the quality here from 1970. I think this is the perfect combination of rock and psychedelia to keep a mainstream feel with many new and innovative sounds going on all the time.
I enjoyed majority of the album. It's a really smooth & laid back vibe and I feel like was sitting in an old wood panelled bar or something. it just had this really cool vibe to it. I would give it a 7.5/10
Love the Latin sounds intermixed. Can't believe he sounds so actual considering this is the Bad Bunny year
I can imagine how hype this was in the 70s
It’s all right
Superb guitar
muito foda, mas algumas partes meio repetitivas
A classic! Santana's best album
Beautiful guitar, great rhythms.
This is one of those records that I don't visit often but always enjoy. Santana is a wizard on the fretboard and the blues fusion material they did in the 70's is always impressive. Of course "Black Magic Woman" is a signature tune.
Ey that was different and I actually liked it
Psychedelic Latin rock with amazing guitar, mostly instrumental. 1.5 songs made a playlist
Full of energy and very nicely aranged. Interesting to listen to, and even though I might listen to it a few more times, it won't be a regular for me.
such a rich display of instrumentals, really made me appreciate music without needing to divulge into the lyrics and just appreciate the feeling it gives me.
Beautiful album. I didn’t get solidly into Santans until a few albums later. But, I think this is them at their peak. Brilliant playing and songwriting.
I like this album its good - its really instrumental fave song - Mother's Daughter 4/5
Great one
This was very nice listen, I enjoyed it, and I would listen to more from Santana
Muy caliente
Great album. Relaxed and classic
Looove
really good! i already knew black magic woman and oye como va so i was excited going into the album
Ok ok, starting off with a very interesting instrumental track. Enjoyed it, was a nice bit of background music. I really like the emphasis on the instrumentals. The vocals are honestly really nice and calming. I like this guys voice. In black magic woman/gypsy queen I love the emphasis on the guitar. It’s not too complex but also very much adds an awesome vibe to the song! The drums throughout were constantly driving the pace forward! Se a Cabo was a great track that grew in its sense of urgency as I listened. To then go into Mothers Daughter which started off a bit more chill and then threw everything at you was a really nice moment in the layout of the album! I really liked Hope You’re Feeling Better! It was a very rock-esq track which I really appreciated. I also enjoyed the closer! Overall this was a nice listen. Something different and shorter which I appreciated. The emphasis on instrumentals was so fun and didn’t drag or feel out of place! I might check out more of this guys stuff! I’ll give this album a 4/5 ⭐️. I might give out a 5 at some point but it’s really gonna have to wow me. Favourites: Black Magic Woman, Hope you’re feeling better Least Favourites: nothing really stood out to me as bad! So none 8/1089
when this started i immediately had to switch tabs to see what was playing. this whole albums feels like improv jazz, or at least the stuff i was exposed to playing in high school. the rhythms are catchy and driving, the guitar, organ, drums, and vocals all come together in a great way. 4/5
It reminds me of the same vibe as some of the tubular bells, lots of sweeping tracks that blend into each other. Didn't enjoy the vocal tracks as much (mothers daughter) because then it feels like it goes further towards traditional rock that I don't enjoy as much. It legit just makes me want to listen to tubular bells again. I don't think its a 5* but its could definitely be something I add again to a background playlist in its entirely in order, 4*?
Nhạc mới lạ, hơi ma mị, rùng rợn(?) và rất spiritual =))) Theo description thì có vẻ là latin rock? Nói chung vừa nghe thì mình chả biết thể loại gì 😔 Bài đầu tiên tempo khá đều và chậm, maybe bật lúc làm việc? Trải nghiệm khá thú vị vì mix rất nhiều nhạc cụ, guitar vẫn là chính đặc biệt là guitar rift. (Có thể do nó là epilogue 😇) “Black magic woman” khác hẳn với bài đầu tiên, có lời và khá hay 🤓 Thể loại jazzy rock? Vẫn còn guitar rift nhưng không bị out of place. Cuối bài thì the music changed a bit, upbeat hơn(?) và không lời =))) “Oye Como Va” nghe như nhạc sẽ mở trong background cảnh phim cả crew đi vào pub =))) Khá oke để làm nhạc background làm việc 🤔
Wow the percussions!!!!
Album: Abraxas Artists: Santana First spin mood: very jammy, love it. Lately I’ve been gravitating towards a higher appreciation of instrumentation and this hits that on the nail perfectly. Such sweet melodies and guitar riffs that will transport you. What it stirred in me: magical sensations, chills One lyric or sound that stayed with me: absolutely love oye como va, and great to hear it again. Where I was: driving in the snow, early morning vibes not slow at all but the music helped me recenter and calm down. To take it slow that life ain’t going anywhere What I felt: maybe a sensation of slowness and patience. I remember feelings of impatience when there was too much instrumentation solo but now I enjoy it and relish in them.
Ein faszinierender Mix aus Latin-Rock, Blues und Jazz. „Black Magic Woman“ und „Oye Como Va“ sind zeitlose Highlights, während „Samba Pa Ti“ pure Emotion transportiert. Die Band spielt mit Leidenschaft, Carlos Santanas Gitarre glänzt. Ein Klassiker – nur kleine Längen verhindern die Höchstwertung.
Listened on: Spotify Listening experience: Over multiple sessions in the car I enjoyed this album and knew a couple of the songs - Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va (no idea where I have heard this one). I enjoyed the instrumentals and was pleasantly surprised by the piano and other instruments other than guitars. Would definitely put this one on again.
Santana is clearly a ridiculously talented guitarist. I like the addition of other rhythm instruments then just drums, too. Black Magic Woman is a classic. Oye Como Va is very enjoyable too. Samba pa ti is a relaxing vibe Hope.your Feeling Better has a great opening riff that keeps going.
Abraxas may be a very commercial album, but this isn't "Supernatural". This is Santana magically mixing accessibility, dance-like qualities, innovation, complexity, virtuosity, and emotion into a latin-rock masterpiece. The first song is an improvisational latin-jazz fusion track with scarce but brilliant guitar notes over a groovy latin rhythm. "Incident at Neshabur", "Mother's Daughter", and "Hope You're Feeling better" are outstanding classic rock songs with unforgettable hooks and main riffs.. "Se a Cabo" and "Samba Pa Ti" are great instrumentals; a fast-paced rhythmic tune and a romantic and emotional one respectively. "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va" are the great hits. Black Magic Woman starts generally soft with great melodies and arrangements and ends in a louder and more energetic jam. "Oye Como Va" is driven by a Hammond organ riff and is insanely catchy and danceable. It has to be a great song to become a monstrous hit even though it is sang in a foreign language. It is regarded as a classic in the music of its kind.