Abraxas

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.

70’s Rock ⭐️ Hope You’re Feeling Better

Exceptional vibes, I enjoyed the beats and the instruments

Almost a 5

Excellent vibes

Absolute cinema

I went into this album not really knowing what to expect, normally I wouldn’t listen to this type of music. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this album was an enjoyable listen. The album was filled with numerous different instruments, each song was unique. The album combines Latin and psychedelic into a unique rock album, filled with cool guitar solos. I would say that this was a solid album. This was probably one of my favorite mainly instrumental album I’ve listened to. My favorite tracks were Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen and Mothers Daughter.

8/10, achei um ótimo álbum, mas na minha opinião, maioria das músicas parecem instrumentais. Gostava que tivessem mais letras.

- I LOVE 70s psychedelic rock!!!!!!the guitar riffs, the sometimes disturbing sound effects, im hooked. les influences jazzy et afro-latino sont un ajout intéressant in the mix - c’est vraiment un rollercoaster but I was in for the ride; faut vraiment etre dans le mood pour écouter ça tho, j’écouterais pas l’album sur une base réguliere - j’adore le artwork de l’album - I have to give 4 parce que j’ai trop de respect pour l’originalité de Santana - meilleure chanson: black magic woman/gypsy queen

👌 smooth.

the psych- and blues-tinged Latin rock stylings of Carlos Santana are as good a way as any to ring in a new year! I have a fairly good connection with his eponymous band's debut record, which I had a second-hand vinyl copy of as a kid. (I accidentally played it at 45 speed once. "Waiting" sounded sick.) Abraxas is, generally speaking, much newer territory for me; despite that, there's two tracks on the A-side I'm more than familiar with. the first is the now-classic medley of Fleetwood Mac's "Black Magic Woman" and Gábor Szabó's instrumental "G*psy Queen" which, of course, was in Guitar Hero III, and its iconic status is obvious even in GH3's cover recording. having become more familiar with the original version presented here, I can obviously say it's much better, and certainly the best song on the album. the elusive opening, Santana's iconic guitar solos, the adrenaline at the switch-up midway through, the dense percussion layering throughout—you know how this one goes. second is "Oye como va", a Tito Puente classic that I played more than a couple times in undergrad with my university's Latin big band! the electrified version of it here has become another one of Santana's signature songs, and for good reason; if that cha-cha-chá groove doesn't move you, you may want to get your pulse checked. lots of records from around this era of the 1001 Albums... selections tend to emphasize the hits and/or singles at the expense of everything else, but the deeper cuts on Abraxas hold up really well against its two most iconic ones. the A-side also contains opener "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts", a nice bit of atmospheric, modal jamming that feels almost like an extended prelude for "Black Magic Woman", as well as "Incident at Neshabur", which opens as a fiery D minor jam in 6/8 (with great solo turns from Santana and organist Gregg Rolie) before giving way to a transcendent, borderline ambient back half in C major. the B-side contains "Se a cabo" and "El nicoya", two more great features for the percussion section; two tightly constructed originals from Rolie ("Mother's Daughter" and "Hope You're Feeling Better") that show the band leading with their blues influences; and "Samba pa ti", the slowest and sultriest of all nine tracks here. if you like your rock music groovy with a lot of raw power and a live feel, look no further! the singing might not always be the greatest thing you've ever heard, but how can you listen to these guys play instruments together and not instantly get a lift? strong 8/10.

I listened to this in the background while doing something else and so didn't give it my full attention. Having mostly heard the single from this LP, I didn't expect so much instrumental music and was happy to hear more of the guitar and rhythm section.

Fine.

The combination of Latino beats and rock is so fire. The Spanish songs are just better I’ll be totally honest. Also fire album cover. This is so groggy it’s great I definitely wouldn’t turn this off if it came on. Some of this would make great getaway music especially “se a cabo”. Normally I don’t like Latino beats but the guitar makes this album really enjoyable to listen to - very unique compared to your average Latino album I feel. I honestly enjoyed this so much more than expected. Very high 4.

Just like the album, this albums music and guitar lead is really quite good, alternative percussion is a welcome change, little singing completely good. Feels like some sort of persona beat y'know. When the singing exist its fine, as I don't need to listen to it for long. First and last song were stinkers so following the one party system ( one bad song tolerated for a five) its a four

First time listening to Santana and what a treat. A beautiful fusion of samba, jazz, and funk

just ended the album. really really good amazing chill jazz like vibes

The journey through psychedelic Latin rock went by almost unnoticed, it even made me want more.

Spectacular sound, fun and concise listening experience!

This was a really fun album to listen to, I really enjoyed the more instrumental songs more than I normally do. Really great pick for today.

4.5

Great guitar work, but I miss some more singing. 4.5 stars

I think this is a really good album. At times it does border on being too jammy, but I think the songs are solid enough to overcome it. Carlos' guitar playing and tone are also great. Highlights for me are "Black Magic Woman", "Oye Como Va", and the excellent "Samba Pa Ti". 4 stars.

Another that is not my bag of tea but this is a truly great record.

La segunda cancion fue buenisima, el resto me dejo medio indiferente. Aunque me sorprendio el solo de percucion de uno de los tracks

Get this one on vinyl

Første låt er super chill; her er det bare å lene seg tilbake & fyre opp noe godt. Black Magic Woman var jeg kjent med fra Guitar Hero og likte den egentlig ikke så godt da. Det var visst også en cover-versjon, så hjalp sikkert ikke. Gitaren er mixet mye mer subtilt her, så låta føles mer dynamisk & balansert. Mulig jeg også har vokst eller bare blitt samba-pilled av Getz, for nå kan jeg faktisk vibe til denne, selv om den starter litt for runkete. Og da Ome Como Va kom på, var jeg umiddelbart tilbake i en bowling hall i LA! Herifra og ut skifter skiva litt stil og legger seg ofte nærmere hard rock av typen Deep Purple/Uriah Heep, og det funker på basis av at det kan virke lekende lett at slik musikk blir kul. Jeg hadde ikke trodd jeg skulle si det, men synes faktisk skiva er bedre når den er mer latino og mer jazza, som den er på flere av partiene på Incident at Neshabur, hvor han elegant veksler mellom hard rock og jazz rock. Samba Pa Ti er også et høyepunkt, treffer meg nesten på samme sted som Zappas Watermelon in the Easter Hay. Om noen hadde spurt meg i går om jeg var Santana-fan, hadde svaret vært et soleklart nei. Idag er jeg farlig nær å si ja.

Classic album from my grandpa's time. back then, he had a radio station and he would put songs from this album and more on repeat. 2025 and i still love it, we need more like it

Not my usual music but ATE, 4/5

classic guitar work

A timeless classic.

Very strong album that definitely shows off Santana's guitar prowess.

So vibey. Great work album

Good songs, background vibes

70-tals groove, mycket instrumentalt, mycket spelglädje

first listen: black magic woman and oye como va are my favs

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this one but it was a great time. It was very fun front to back. Would listen to again

3,5/5

I always thought Santana was the guitarist, not the band. Turns out it’s both. Great album, definitely worth a revisit. 4/5

4.5

I'm familiar with quite a few of these tracks, but surprisingly, I don't think I've ever listened to the full album. It's a jam. It's a vibe. I'm glad I listened, but ultimately, I'm not necessarily feeling compelled to listen to it again on any sort of a regular basis.

Love a good psych rock album. Very enjoyable and probably my favorite pick so far!

Vibe with this heavy| track 4 Half way through too many instrumentals| track 5 Out of 10 it's a 7 round up so 4/5| track 7

Really solid album, Santana might be one of the greatest guitar players ever. Every song sounds different, but they flow so well into each other. It felt like I was listening to a spanish radio station. Standout Songs: Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen Oye Como Va Mother's Daughter Hope You're Feeling Better

Such goodness.

Elevated by the Latin influences

Ah Santana, I can put it on and listen in a dark room, I can have it one when I'm cleaning, it's great road trip music. This is a great album.

Excellent stuff. Holds up well. Easy to listen to.

This was a fun listen! I'd put this closer to 4.5 instead.

Such a fun album the whole way through. Didn't find myself bored at all. Wanted to get up on my desk and dance.

Amazing album. Truly a must-listen for every music fan. While 'Oye Como Va' and 'Samba Pa Ti' are great songs by themselves, this album takes you on a journey to really explore these amazing tracks to their full potential. It's not just the amazing strumming of the legendary Carlos Santana but the performance by the rest of the band members take make this LP as interesting as it is. The only reason this album is 4 stars instead of 5 for me is because I like the single version of 'Black Magic Woman' better than the album version. 4.5/5 stars

4/5

Te bebes la guitarra, día soleado de noviembre en Madrid, limpiando la casa, una maravilla

mmmmh Santana - es una legende muy grandeeeee. Y me gusta la musica mucha. Muy funky, absolutemente nice y fun fun fun. Estos son quattro formaggi (Ich glaub de typ redet gar kei spanisch)

As someone who grew up idolizing hippies and 60s psychedelic music and having watched the Woodstock documentary dozens of times, I'm embarrassed to say I've never listened to this album or really any Santana beyond the hits. For some reason, Santana just didn't resonate with me back then. That said, I have heard several of the songs on here. This album is a great Latin, jazz, blues fusion. The Latin percussion is infectious and makes you want to move and the guitar playing is obviously next level. I really enjoyed this one and clearly missed out not listening to more Santana in the past.

So much good stuff on this album, Santana was truly ahead of his time with his guitar tone, the musicality... There were a lot of times earlier in my life when I was like, "Santana, what's the big deal?" And then I listened to this album

Always an enjoyable listen.

Idk it was good

4.5/5 GODDDDD i love santana

4 out of 5 Great singles, santana rocks

Great album, good to revisit. Hope you’re feeling better is one of my fave Santana songs off the beaten path & mothers daughter.

Just long enough to not be too long. Arguably flawless if this is your jam, just not compelling enough to listen on repeat

The perfect antidote to T Swizzle. This is Latin-infused rock at some of its finest

Definitely had an image of Santana coming into this, which was just ‘Smooth’ but as I start listening to the album, can really appreciate more of the nuance, layers and skill in these songs. Yeh, really digging this. Much more prog rock / world music than pop charts. Glad to get a better sense of him as an artist. Enjoy the occasional use of vocals as an instrument, rather than constant presence.

I'm a guitarist like Santana, in the same way that a child painting shapes with a potato is an artist like Michelangelo. He is just ridiculously good. It's in the second half of this album that this really comes to the fore, and elevates it from a fun but not too memorable record into something quite brilliant. The second half alone is a clear and strong five star, the whole thing falls just a touch short, but is still very enjoyable.

Another album I was really expecting to not enjoy nearly as much. Immediately. I was blown away by the elements of jazz fusion that were on this record. Some of the songs were honestly just so well crafted. "Black magic woman", bar the slur in the alternative title, is a phenomenal song. The vocals while they are very sparse serve each track so well. It's funny. I started listening to the intro and I wasn't the biggest fan of how it was sounding and I legit thought I was going to hate the rest of the album but as soon as that track ended you just go right into this upbeat very high energy list of instrumentals. Santana's guitar playing is honestly off the charts and the fact that his band is able to absolutely not only follow his lead very well but also paved the way for his guitar to almost serve as lead vocals. The voicing in his technique is so strong that I can't fathom it. The fact that guitars can wail this hard over top hand drums to give it this incredible psychedelic Latin texture is remarkable for the time and honestly kind of revolutionary. Chicano rock might end up being something that I check out more because of this album and I'm definitely curious to know the rest of his discography. I definitely can see myself listening to this album again in full. Me being stubborn, I don't want to put this at 5 out of 5 Stars but I might have to eventually depending on the rest of this list.

Great style, I can appreciate the long guitar solos

Short and well written. Allot of latin influenses well blended with Rock. I'm a bit biased because i play a bit of guitar and think Santana is a great guitarist.

Great album

A very different sound to this album compared to a lot of popular music but really interesting and very smooth guitar playing 7/10

4/5

Samba Pa Ti takes you places

(83/100)

Would listen again. Good background music without being too innocuous, and enjoyable when you tune in.

Solid

Not sure why it’s taken me this long to actually listen to this album all the way through. Some fabulous cuts, even besides the two most popular and legendary songs

Masterclass is guitar, Really fun Album

Good song list! Loved the sounds of the first track vis a vis the title of the track. Might not flock back to this one but there was a lot I enjoyed and little that I disliked.

What a grand band. This was crafted like a live set but produced beautifully in the studio. I will return and listen to more Santana. Great album!

A smooth easy, motivational listen

Very enjoyable largely instrumental album. Santana is a maestro on the guitar and these compositions are a blast to listen to.

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.

The free flow of the songs is truly genius. The closest to Latin Jazz? Not sure about that but the musicians playing off each other is a trademark of Santana and a must listen to anyone who says they listen to all types of music.

81/100.

Loved this album. It was so smooth and interesting

Classic and still quite an ass kicker

Great dinner party music

Santana delivers a classic album with screaming guitars and timeless vocals

Iconic guitar sound and playing. 3 classic tracks and I enjoyed the rest (even the instrumentals!).

Ist schon ein one trick pony, aber die Songs machen Spaß. Mir fehlt aber ein Banger in Richtung "Soul Sacrifice" vom Debüt.

Cooles Album, nicht zu 100% meins, aber die Qualität kann man nicht absprechen.

Samba Pa Ti

Groovy, funky, upbeat/energetic, cool. Very enjoyable.

This was cool, what a great vibe

Dope

It opens like a jazz ensemble warming up and then seamlessly merges into the monster hit, "Black Magic Woman", which has always, I guess, been a jam song and THAT song crashes into Gypsy Queen and I want to be at the Hayden Planeterium for the Abraxas Experience. It does get a bit samey-same after a while but just as I wrote this, the vocals on Mother's Daughter came in to save us. To be honest, the Santana-penned tunes are the least interesting.

Album No. 0044 on my list. "Abraxas" by Santana was an interesting listen. I indeed knew some of the songs of the album before. "Black Magic Woman" is a timeless classic and my favorite track of "Abraxas". "Samba Pa Ti" - known before as well, but still not a big fan. In general, the whole album is very cool and groovy, but sometimes the songs lack some dynamic. Yet, there is some excellent guitar work on this (even better for example than on "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes, which I recently reviewed). Beyond "Black Magic Woman", "Incident at Nashabur", and "Hope You're Feeling Better" were my favorites. 4/5 stars!

Great guitar work, strong songwriting, and catchy melodies.

An instrumental experience of the fusion between club jazz, bossa nova, and hard rock guitar. The occasional lyrical section is more of an additional instrument to add to the melody of it all. This is music to smoke and think to.

Perhaps most well known for Smooth, which is a song that people who actually lived through the '90s seem to hate: Santana is a guitar God, and Abraxas erases any doubt of that. Here, we have a particularly exciting fusion of Latin rock and jazzy psychedelia. I'm honestly most into the more abstract cuts here: Singing Winds/Crying Beasts, Incident At Neshabur, Se A Cabo, Black Magic Woman, and to an extent, Mother's Daughter. These songs all showcase Santana's ingenius, atmospheric and tastefully restrained guitar playing. I would also like to make note of the spectacular percussion across these songs, which I think is consistently underrated. Of these songs, the atmosphere on Singing Winds... is incredible and kicks things of right. Black Magic Woman is an inspired cover of a Fleetwood Mac song, and Santana really emphasizes the spacey, mystical qualities of the original composition. Incident... is the album's jazziest moment, and Se A Cabo may be the single best rhythm performance on the whole album, sounding precise and dizzying. In a very different way, I also love Oye Como Va, which is an incredibly fun song, it makes me want to get up and groove. Out of what's left, El Nicoya is brief, but very good. And I like Samba Pa Ti, and Hope You're Feeling Better, but I've not decided how much I like them compared to the rest of the album. That being said, the whole package here is awesome, this is some incredibly unique rock from a very talented group of musicians. Also, the album art here is among the best, *ever*, just take it all in, holy shit.

To echo someone else in the comments, I saw this and groaned expecting wanky traditional rock riffs, and while there was an element of that, it was beautifully balanced with some weeping guitars. There was a lovely mix of different forms of percussions instruments and the latin influence. Samba Pa Ti was my standout track. I actually really enjoyed listening to that. It did not make me want to go and find ore or want to listen to it again, but what it did do is change my perception of Santana. For that reason it is getting high 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

This is an astonished rich piece of work, combining latin rhythms with blisteringly good rock lead guitar. I was amazed to discover today that Carlos Santana was only 22 when this was recorded. The highlight for me is a cheeky cover of Oye Como Va by the legendary Tito Puente. The only thing that drags this down is the horribly sexist origin of the album title and the associated artwork on the cover.

7/10

I didn’t know much about Santana before this listen (he started in San Francisco - I didn’t know!). To my surprise, this album made me feel a bit of his experience. While I’ve heard his music many times - who hasn’t? - but giving this album a full intentional listen was different. He took a pretty bold and unforgettable approach - fusing genres and sounds with some pretty effortless swagger. And the amount of instrumentation alone is incredible: stellar percussion (those chimes), layered keyboard and piano, epic drumming, confident guitar and bass, and some magical cowbells too (for flavor). It must have felt electric to live thought that era - the music capturing a sense of trippy, jazzy, universal energy that’s utterly unique. This record is a reminder that some musical moments can never be repeated.

My parents had this record on vinyl and as a kid I listened to it when I was like 11 years old. Why? Well, because the cover art had a beautiful dark-skinned lady on the cover with her titties out and some crazy tattooed red faerie chick con tetas afuera también with a conga jammed into her choncha dropping some magic psychedelic blessings all over the place. That's why. I remember being frustrated by the white dove placement even then. What I naturally didn't know at the time was that this was such an important album. Huge props to these guys for forging a path ahead bringing in the acid-drenched psychedelic rock of the 60s and melding it with Latin sounds. "Black Magic Woman" is obviously a standout here. But, did you know? It also had a really shitty straight-to-video erotic thriller starring Mark Hammill named after it. It's a little on the nose that this song featured pretty prominently in the soundtrack for this craptastic film. Thanks, 1991 Cinemax. Otherwise, it's a pretty solid track, even if originally penned by the Shittiest Band Whose Name Will Not Even Be Uttered Here. There are covers that eclipse the original, and I will plant my funky flag by Santana's rendition as the standard because again, fuck Fleetwood Mac forever. "Oye Como Va" of course also is another classic, and not just because of it being an integral part of lowrider culture, but that doesn't hurt either. Shit is funky. The whole thing sounds like we're peering through the gaps in a fence, gazing at a colorful and ecstatic Santería ritual on a very humid day. The song structures swell and quiet down with authentic and well-rehearsed collaboration between a very capable band. They are bringing a lot of different influences and styles to bear and throwing them into one big steamy spiritual pot of soup. Even though this kinda stuff isn't totally my bag, I think this recipe really works, primarily due to the complex songwriting and overwhelming virtuosity of the players. These are pretty heavy cats. I can see why this record was included in this book. IT was no fucking doubt flipping people's wigs back when it first dropped. Regarding the cover art: see the first paragraph. But also, from a fundamental design POV, we cannot read the type, at all. The artist and title are swallowed completely by the trippy ass painting of fantastical realms where you can take your shirt off freely. But that's actually fine, it seems like it is really supposed to be that way. I mean, you know it's Santana's "Abraxas" simply by the mystical titties and such all over it. What more do you need?

Absolute vibes and vibing

A masterful mix of genres that doesnt sound forced or a hokey mashup. And the genres stamd on their own but blend so well. Beautiful.

Cool album, curachas and guitar galore!!

Enjoyed this, vibey

Very Latin, Very Californian. Was interesting to hear the original version of a lot of these songs and how Santana changes them even if marginally. Loved the big 3 or 4 and what a fantastic opener. I think the weaker spots are when the album goes a more generic hard rock route on tracks like Hope You’re feeling better but even then still commendable.

Psychedelic rock. Latin roots. Easy listening. Artistic.

Such an amazing guitar player.

I found it difficult to separate this record from teenage memories, namely, a feeling of ironic kitsch a la 70s songs on Tarantino soundtracks. I feel confident in presuming that a great deal of the band was high all through these sessions, particularly the vocalist, with his lazy yawning intonations and long-hanging sibilants. My choir director would throw me out of the room for that shit. Be that as it may, it’s a classic sound and a good 30 years before Santana collaborated with Rob Thomas.

A cool blend of songs that are timeless and songs that are very rooted in the late 60s/early 70s. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.

If an album could be described as delicious, this would be it

From the first track to the last, this album did a great job of setting and maintaining a distinct atmosphere. I don't think it was something I'll be putting in heavy rotation, but I can't quite place what it is. The vibe of the album definitely has something to do with it, though. It felt like a dark fusion of Latin grooves, psychedelia, and some really solid rock. I've never been too keen on the singles from this album, but this is an album that is meant to be listened to front to back. The instrumental tracks, particularly the opener, were excellent. I have always heard Santana referenced in terms of the guitar, and Carlos Santana clearly knows what he's doing with the instrument. However, I thought the drumwork was most distinctive on this album, and is probably the reason I would come back to it. There was a lot of very intricate hand drum rhythms, and it felt like drum "riffs" rather than guitar riffs were the driving force behind a lot of the songs. Ultimately, I don't think this is the best album for me, but there's a lot to like here.

Tasteful playing with soul and energy to spare. Glad this album made it instead of Supernatural. Solid choice.

Chill 3.5

I inherited this album from my eldest brother. Quite why he had it I don’t know because he was heavily into traditional jazz and classical music. He’s no longer with us so it will always remain a mystery. With all the love in the world to my brother it was never a record I truly cherished. There is one caveat to this. The guitar so.o at the end of Black Magic Women is absolutely sublime and worth the admission money on its own. A solo I never tire of and which highlights what an exceptional and talented guitarist Carlos was. Also in fairness having listened to it today I can hear a lot which I previously ignored so well worth putting on my permanent rotation. 4/5 11/10/25

Immersive and psychedelic. I love the fusion of jazz and blues in this, and how Pop is incorporated to keep it fresh and snappy.

I’ve heard Santa playing most of my life. I’ve always liked what I heard, but for whatever reason I have yet to sit down and really explore their music. I’d long associated Santana’s music as a mix of Latin and rock, which it is. What I didn’t realize is how psychedelic the band can be. Another thing that I have appreciated about Santana, although perhaps not enough, was his brilliant guitar work. There are some absolutely masterful riffs sprinkled throughout these tunes. It is hard to believe that it took me 55 years to get here, but I will absolutely be taking a deeper dive into Santana’s discography.

Guitar work was tasteful and impressive and I was blown away by the percussion section. It felt like a jazz album of rock with a Latin feel.

Favorite Songs: Black Magic Women, Oye Como Va This was a quick album, a nice background album to listen too. Kinda crazy it’s from 1970.

I'm a sucker for some good guitar. Carlos delivers good guitar. 4

бля я хорошо кайфанул

Good album. Way more piano than I expected, but overall very enjoyable.

This record is so rad. I love that in the late 60s and through the 70s everybody was just doing their own take on the blues. (I guess that's true of really all contemporary American music 🤔) The obvious fusion of Latin, Jazz, Blues is what makes this so palpable. Carlos' guitar is so dialed and his style is so recognizable. The drumming is super good, kind of the sneaky second best thing on the album. Its really easy to get lost in this album, because there is just so much going on that you kind of just lean into one or 2 things and ride with it. I had a blast with this one.

4/5

Very good. Catchy songs

Overraskende godt. Meget jazz agtigt

Pissegroovy! En del bedre end jeg havde regnet med!

Really cool guitar, tough to listen to on the morning commute as it makes me want to drive fast! :)

I’m so sorry for having low expectations

Чудовий альбом з насправді досить помірним вкрапленням латіно року (за виключенням деяких пісень) ніж можна було очікувати. Пісні іспанською набагато кращі за англамовні, які занадто наслідують умовний західний стиль.

I really enjoyed listening to this album. It is superb music that I really connected with. I was enjoying it so much I got halfway through a second Santana album on Spotify before I realized it. It is still hard to believe that Black Magic Woman is a cover. This is a great album.

Penúltimo día de septiembre con Abraxas, el favorito de todos de Santana. El álbum lograr un objetivo muy común de esa época pero que pocos conseguían: que el oyente entre en un estado de hipnosis con un disco completo, impensado para los tiempos actuales en que el consumo musical es de microdosis y sin compromiso. ¿Romantizando un pasado que no viví? Es probable Muchas gracias y hasta mañana, que cerramos septiembre

Shit rips

Pretty awesome!

Great album. Mix of latin, jazz, psychedluc rock. It is expansive and full of passion. The sort of exploration where you can imagine musical rituals taking casting magicspells and transporting your consciousness. 4.5 stars

Smooth

I don’t know if this music remobilizes some of the latent LSD stored in my spinal cord or if it’s that I was listening to this a lot when I was making out with H— in high school but I just absolutely feel wonderful listening to Santana.

Abraxas, I give myself to thee!

Santana is awesome - this album is a classic

Good

Literally listened to this in my dad's car growing up. Pure nostalgia.

I am so glad I finally had a chance to listen to another 70s psychadelic rock artist, and even with latino and prog hints - so so so nice. Well, of course, it's not like I couldn't listen to Santana earlier - I knew quite well they existed and I was planning on listening to that monochromatic lion debut, but I never got around... And wow, Abraxas is so good. Peacefull, not intimidating, very easy listen - but not simple, braindead music. This is full of fineness. I already came back to this album more than once, and will be coming back.

some very good songs

This was fun to listen to!

Enjoy the smooth jazz rock tunes like Black Magic Woman and Samba Pa Ti

Great guitars, fun listen.

When a guitar is played with this amount of talent and skill it transcends to another level. This isnt three cords and a bridge, it is someone who closes their eyes and pours out their soul through their fingers and very fee make it to this level. I enjoyed this purely for the respect for his talent rather than any particular love for the songs

Early Santana. Raw but full of emotive guitar. Fantastic percussion.

While this falls more into the "on here for influence" rather than how it sounds today I think it's one of the better ones there. 7/10

I had heard of this album as it is included in many “best albums of the 70s” lists. First time listening was pleasurable. I normally don’t like Jazz fusion or albums where there are mainly instrumental tracks but this is very accessible and beautifully made.

We dig it dude

Falls off the second half the album but doesn't mean it's terrible, Carlos Santana is still the goat

really good latin rock release. very influential for the time too

Love it 4/5

The lick. 10/10. I can listen to this on da za

Heeeeell yeahhhh that guitar.

very good and very interesting. mayhaps a 5 in the distant future

very nice

3.9 2x catch up 9/18

I always had the image of Santana as mainly Latin rock, but Hope You’re Feeling Better is straight-up hard rock. The guitar tone on this track is just raw and powerful — pure hard rock. I like it.

This album came outs in 1970, and I was 12 years old at the time. One of my cousins had a copy of this on 8 track tape, and I heard parts of it and didn’t really care for it. I don’t think that it was “radio friendly “ enough for my musical tastes back then. Over the years I have heard Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va countless times, and have grown to become quite fond of those songs. After listening to the whole album for the first time, 55 years after its release, I am a bit blown away. I just can’t believe this was issued in 1970…to me it really sounds way ahead of its time, and the songs have held up really well. This album seemed to be about half filled with instrumental tracks, and I really prefer my music with vocals, as long as the vocals are good. Still, I think this album is awesome and I would have given it 5 stars if more of the songs featured vocal music, but it is still a really strong 4 stars album for me, I will definitely be listening to it again!

Great album!

Really enjoyed this album!

großes album. black magic woman oye como va samba pa ti und der southernrock-kracher mothers daughter

OYE CÓMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA OYE CÓMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA OYE CÓMO VA MI RITMO BUENO PA GOZAR MULATA

4.5

I obviously knew "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," both of which I enjoy quite a bit. The remainder of it has a similar sort of psychedelic Latin vibe. Dug it a lot.

liked this. crazy work on the electric guitar. huge fan of all of the time signature changes in ‘incident at neshabur’ (did notice the vibraslap a lot but i think that’s a me problem). gave it two listens, was working on the first listen, and couldn’t remember whether there were vocals on the album - realized on second listen that the vocals really felt like an instrument of their own, as opposed to instrumentation and vocals being discrete components.

This was ace it does not sound like 1969

Classic Santana

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. Really good.

Intoxicating. The latin rhythms of the conga drums got me grooving

Some of the best guitar riffs I’ve ever heard. Most of this is instrumental and I wish it was entirely instrumental, because the instrumental aspects are so good. Lyrics aren’t bad or anything, the instrumentation is just that good.

Great flow, very groovy and some amazing guitar work.

Jazzy

Classic album. Ambient guitar with latin flavor.

This is a very good album and Santana is a very good guitar player.

classic santana album :)

Only came into this knowing Black Magic Woman, honestly. I usually don't have an easy time getting into things that are jazzy or jammy, and this is both, but somehow it works for me! Maybe because it's never extended out too far, and it's just normal length songs in a normal length album?

Great listen. Very unique drum grooves, nice guitar tone, feels just the right amount of improvisational.

Groovy

I remember finding this album in the attic in our country house when I was six. The cover always facinated me, it had the depth of a Bosch painting the many shapes and colors drawing me in. I listened to it much later but that first meeting always stayed with me. This time around I really loved the drums at work here, Michael Shrieve has such a luschious expansive sound here. Santanas guitar of corse gets well deserved credit but I do not think the rich jazz fusion would work without the rest of the band. Black Magic Woman and Oye Cómo Va might be the most famous songs here but Hope Your Feeling Better and Incident at Neshabur are my personal favorites. Overall a great album my only complaint is that it is almost too easy to listen. It is so smooth that it does not hold onto me as strongly as other albums. Still the skill here is very obvious.

Groovy music with some great guitar solos painting a groovy soundscape. Lacking words a lot of the time, but somewhat makes up for it with its characterful instrumentation.

Already liked Black Magic Woman and the rest of the album lived up to that expectation. Almost a 5

Some absolutely great tunes on this. Oye Como Va is one that I can now put a name to. I listened to Samba Pa Ti with my eyes closed picturing mega food like the old M&S advert which was delightful.

Great songs and guitar

Hermoso, rock gringo latino.

Santana's guitar playing is good enough to get it to 4

An incredible album, with his usual panache and style Carlos Santana plays magnificently throughout it. It's filled with great instrumental jams and features the incredible Black Magic Woman. Even though his style and flavour is absolutely unique, I just think that it doesn't have enough huge hits for me to give it 5 stars.

I didn’t have the highest expectations for this album, but was blown away. From only hearing Black Magic Woman, I now think that’s the weakest track on the album! The guitar is fantastic, love the Latin beats and percussion. Will definitely be listening to more Santana in the future!

Surprisingly fun. Im not a huge rock fan but this was an amazing listen. 85/100 on my book, goated

First track had such a slow build build, but going straight into Black Magic Woman was killer. Whole rest of the album was fantastic 4 out of 5. I gotta listen to more Santana.

More innovative of an album than the radio hits would suggest. Reminds me of Mahavishnu Orchestra and points to future sounds from The Mars Volta. Good balance between groove and free-flowing improvisation. Smooth guitar tones with occasional snarly over-driven sounds. Even popular songs like "Black Magic Woman" have more complexity than their radio edits would let on.

Raw guitar magic Fav song: Black magic woman/ gypsy queen, mother’s daughter Least fav: el nicoya 9/10

7.5/10

Quite the album for Santana. I bet this shot him from being a huge talent to an international star. Great listening.

smooth and easy listen from start to finish

One of those solid 70s albums. Doesn't quite hit 5/5 for me, but definitely 4/5.

Santana is one of a kind. This was a great listen. I always enjoy hearing him play.

Great Album

theres so much music from this era that i know so entirely despite never having conciously decided to listen to. most of it is much worse than this album, i dont know why santana isnt in that group of artists. whole album was a little long, otherwise great

Un álbum más entretenido que la mierda que abre encima los 70 con canciones icónicas. Lo que no me deja ponerle 5 es que creo que hay un pequeño exceso de jam. Nota: 4/5

Un verdadero viaje psicodico Las últimas canciones fueron mis favoritas, se siente la influencia Grateful Dead 7/10

The opening song was very slow, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the rest of the album. I was definitely able to apply prior experiences with latin inspired music here. It was a rather fast paced and groovy album. 8/10.

#661. A proggy jam band kind of album that is less than 40 minutes? Perfect 4/5: yarp

crazy mix. what a vibe.

I thought I rated this already. Anyway, this album is great in my opinion. Catchy, and has some great jazzy moments. Jacob you’re a bum for not liking it

Clearly his best....

I prefer the debut. This one sounds good but does not fully take off. I missed psychedelic madness. But good album overall.

Nice!

Love these grooves. Why would anyone listen to steely dan — aja when this album exists??? The n-2th track is one of my favorites in terms of absolutely sentimental grooves. Pass the cigars mccusker! FOUR

Very cool Latin rock music. You can see how something like this could influence a group like The Mars Volta.

With some of my Santana favourites and some I've never heard before but now like, this is an album that you can put on to which no one will complain about and ask for something else. I'll give it a 4 star rating for it's listen-ability.

Ok

Planant

I have always liked this album a lot, Carlos Santana is a wonderful guitar player and he shows that off here. The Fleetwood Mac cover is good, anything that Gregg Rolie is involved with gets bonus points from me, and "Samba Pa Ti" is just insanely gorgeous, right up there with some of my favorite instrumentals.

Great guitar, but that's Santana for you. Good vibes, more guitar than vocals. 4*

Good

Bring back sexy guitar

"Oye Como Va" is such a good song

The playing is superb, the mix of Latin, jazz and rock was trailblazing, and it is amazing that out of this hybrid two songs found their way to pop chart success. That said, I’m not generally a jam band fan, and too much of this blends into one continuous song for me. Respect for the musicianship, just not one I can see reaching for.

An album I’ve seen but not listened to before, I actually have it on vinyl passed down to me. I have to say it’s a shame it took me this long to actually listen to it cause that was pretty amazing, pure energetic Latin jazz fusion with some western rock in the mix a bit aswell, the entire album was great with the first song acting as a great soft introduction and then breaking into one of the lead singles and then just going on an amazing run till the very end with a short instrumental to end it off. The guitar playing was amazing aswell by the one and only Carlos Santana and the organ in some parts aswell was awesome. Overall, 8.5/10, my way of singing its praises but keeping it just from being a 5.

Loved this! Hate Black Magic Woman, but everything else was wonderful.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Perfect background music, and gave one of the best transitions in music!

Superb fusion of virtuoso rock guitar and Latin rhythm section. Liked it even more on subsequent listens. 4½

Very pleasant psychedelic rock, easily 4+. Good to finally meet the Black Magic Woman's origin

4.4

There's an undeniable vibe to this album that hits just right

Mysticism and guitar virtuosity in an obscure late 60's package that seems to get overlooked more than its contemporaries. I might still appreciate the self titled a bit more, but this is miles more interesting than his work with Robert Thomas that would come in three more decades.

I didn't know this album was so popular. It's one of those unique albums that surprise me. There's so much to like about "Abraxas". Santana managed to combine two entirely different genres and combine them perfectly. What a way to end the week. 4 stars for "Abraxas"

One of Santana's best. Oye Como Va is my favorite song from him.

1. Signing Winds, Crying Beasts - 8 Really love the synthesizer and the guitar sounds great. The build up and out into the next track is flawless. 2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen - 9 Lyrics are extremely simple and very repetitive, but the instruments are very clearly what lead the track. That's the intention at least and the guitar on Black Magic Woman is superb. Overall the sound is great on it. When the track picks up into Gypsy Queen it feels out of place until the guitar comes in more and the song crescendos. Fantastic piece of music. 3. Oye Como Va - 11 Musically this is a brilliant track. The guitar, the organ-like synthesizer, the very brief lyrics. Everything about this track is stellar. Absolutely unbelievable sound. 4. Incident at Neshabur - 9 Guitar sound is just outstanding on this track. I'm running out of superlatives to label these tracks because they all just sound so very very very good. The pace change is a bit sudden on it but it leads to some more awesome notes from the guitar. Piano is a lovely addition at the end of the track. 5. Se a Cabo - 8 Excellent. Just all around excellent. 6. Mother's Daughter - 10 Instruments are great on this track but unlike the rest of the album, it's got a lot of lyrics in it and they are exquisite. Santana's voice sounds really really good as does the excellent use of the drums, which often rolls the song both in and out of the lyrical parts of it. All of this before an amazing guitar solo to end the track. 7. Samba Pa Ti - 9 Slower song and an awesome listen. Guitar is the star of the show and builds up into the track brilliantly before becoming a full fledged solo. I originally was only going to give this a 7 or an 8 before that absolutely stunning guitar at the end. 8. Hope You're Feeling Better - 10 Lyrics are very very repetitive but how can you not love a song with that amazing a solo in the middle of it? And if that's not enough for you, you get another lovely one at the end. Instrumentally this is a complete masterpiece of a track. 9. El Nicoya - 6 Bit random to end the album on this track. It's also completely random given what else has been on the album. There's not much to it. Very simple lyrics and very simple instrumentally but I cannot be too harsh on the track because it's only 90 seconds. Average Rating: 8.89 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 4.45 Rounded Down: 4 Stars

Enjoyed it great music to sit on the beach and listen to

Not my usual but good!

Wow this is a banger. I also just learned Santana DVX is real. God is good

This freaking rocked. I expected this to be cheesy solo electric guitar shredding but it is way better. Sorry Carlos, I doubted you.

I have come to really like Santana and Abraxas is probably my fav album of theirs. one thing i dont get is why is the band named after carlos.. he did produce this album and write two songs but so much of this music feels extremely collaborative ! its just funny that its named after him when its such a group effort

Pure Santana. Knew a lot of the songs growing up my parents listen to Santana all the time so this album has a nostalgic feeling great album to pop on and have in the background while doing other things wouldn’t listen to every day but definitely need this one in the final collection. Such a fun listen

C’était chouette, à réécouter

I love this album best at night - so mysterious and other-worldly.