Abraxus - SANTANA****

Singing Winds Crying Beasts/Black Magic Woman-Gypsy Queen/Oyo Como Va/Incident At Neshabur/Se A Cabo/Mother's Daughter/Samba Pa Ti/Hope You're Feeling Better/El Nicoya

Abraxus was the follow up album from the jazz rock group Santana and is considered an improvement on the somewhat uneven debut. Includes the US No. 4 hit cover of Black Magic Woman plus the US No.13 Oyo Como Va. (US:1 UK:7)

"Abraxas is easily Santana's best album. The band is tight and Carlos Santana's guitar playing is just ungodly. Abraxas is full of great songs culminating in Carlos' defining statement in the Latin guitar epic Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen. But Abraxas is not just a solo show for Carlos Santana by any means. This album is also carried along by the shimmering keyboards of Gregg Rollie and the thunderous drumming of the amazing Michael Shrieve. A lot of what also sets Abraxas apart is the deep Latin, African, and Caribbean mysticism, the mystique of which runs deep, and makes this Santana album even more legendary."

"Possibly this group’s finest hour, Abraxas is a true classic. This contains my all time favourite Santana tune Samba Pa Ti that will take you to some very nice places. With so much going on musically it would be easy for instruments like guitar, or all of that percussion to take over, but part of the magic of Santana is that ability to make it all come together."

"Santana's music is hard to define and Abraxas is a good example why. It was his second album and it blends many genres from blues to jazz, psychedelic and hard rock and of course Latin music. The mixture is just as vivid and exciting as the artwork of the album. There are gentle harmonies in Samba Pa Ti, jazz-rock, blues and many moods in Black Magic Woman and great hard rock grooves in Hope You're Feeling Better. Santana shows on this LP that he's not just technically brilliant but a great songwriter too."

"This album is essential to anyone concerned with an eclectic mix of rock. Blues influences are predominant, but the mix of jazz-fusion and Afro-Latin rhythms make every track listenable and exciting. If you are going to buy one Santana album, this is the one to start with."

"Certainly Santana's masterpiece - hard Latin prog rock by a great band. The guitar is pure magic and the Latin rhythms get to your soul."