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Audience 9.0 -A lovely, intimate sounding show. Now, don't get me wrong, there seems to be a large audience but the quality of the capture feels smaller, closer, warmer than your average midsize venue.Ry Cooder and The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces Mayfair Theatre Santa Monica, CA March 16, 1987 Late Show Disc 1 01 Showtime Intro 02 Little Sister 03 Smack Dab In the Middle 04 Go Home Girl 05 If Walls Could Talk 06 Money Honey 07 How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live 08 One Meat Ball Disc 2 09 Women Will Rule The World 10 Jesus On The Mainline 11 He'll Have To Go 13 Crazy 'Bout an Automobile (Every Woman I Know) 14 Canción Mixteca 15 La Bamba - Twist And Shout Jim Keltner - drums Ry Cooder - guitar, vocals Van Dyke Parks - keys Jorge Calderon - bass Flaco Jimenez - accordion Miguel Cruz - percussion Steve Douglas - sax George Bohannon - trombone Bobby King - tenor Terry Evans - baritone Arnold McCuller - tenor Willie Green Jr - bass
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OK City - Soundboard 9.6 - Excellent from the start, with a great tonal quality that brings out tremendous detail in the guitar. This board tape manages to not sound like a "bored" tape! New York - Soundboard 9.4 - A more toned down, warmer sound than the OKC, this board tape focuses on the band as a whole. The sound is full, rich, and inviting which presents the listener a choice: do you like the more "live" sound or do you prefer an almost "studio" like quality in a live recording? I would opt for a healthy combination of both I suppose.
Santana Oklahoma City Fairgrounds Oklahoma City, OK. September 27, 1974 Disc 1 01. Going Home - A-1 Funk- Every Step Of The Way 02. Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 03. Oye Como Va 04. Mirage 05. Just In Time To See The Sun 06. Bambele 07. Give And Take Disc 2 01.Soul Sacrifice 02.Samba Pa Ti 03.Savor 04.Toussaint L'Overture Disc 3 Academy Of Music New York City, NY October 11, 1974 01 Going Home 02 Incident At Neshabur 03 Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 04 Oye Como Va 05 Mirage 06 Just In Time To See The Sun 07 Bambele 08 Give And Take 09 Soul Sacrifice 10 Samba Pa Ti 11 Savor 12 Toussaint L'Overture Carlos Santana Jose “Chepito” Areas Jules Broussard David Brown “Ndugu” Leon Chancler Tom Coster Leon Patillo Armando Peraza -
Audience 8.7 - Almost every recording from this venue sounds like a large, cavernous venue no matter where the taper is sitting. Thankfully this one is not as much, and the music is just that much more immediate and clear, so for this venue I would say this tape shines. SANTANA Boston Garden Boston, MA March 16th 1977 THE BAND Carlos Santana guitar vocals Pablo Tellez bass vocals Tom Coster keyboards vocals Raul Rekow percussion vocals Jose "Chepito" Areas percussion Graham Lear drums Greg Walker vocals 1 -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 2 -Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana) 3 -Europa 4 -Oye Como Va 5 -Let Me 6 -Give Me Love 7 -Savor - Raul Rekow - Toussaint L'Overture 8 -Soul Sacrifice 9 -Band Intro's - Goodnight Carnaval, Let The Children Play, Jugando Missing from this recording
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Audience 9.1 - A very well done audience tape is the source, and the atmospherics are nice and immersive. Sound quality is right in the pocket! Show was unfortunately cut short due to severe weather, but there’s enough music here to satisfy regardless. Santana Estadio Universitario Caracas, Venezuela October 7, 1973 01 Introduction 02 Going Home - A-1 Funk - Every Step Of The Way (including Boogie Woogie Waltz) 03 Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen (including Third Stone From The Sun) 04 Oye Como Va 05 Bambele 06 Um-Um-Um 07 Yours Is The Light 08 Batucada 09 Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) 10 Stone Flower - Waiting
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Soundboard 9.0 - The unmistakable emphasis in this mix is the percussion (and to a lesser extent keyboards) but that makes for an interesting take on this one…you are forced to reckon with the powerhouse engine room for once, and with no regrets either. It’s still a good recording, and everyone else is there but you will know who’s taking the stage in the mix here. Santana Circus Krone Munich, Germany April 20th, 1971 Carlos Santana (g/perc/vo) Neal Schon (g) Gregg Rolie (kbd/vo) David Brown (b) Coke Escovedo (perc) Michael Carabello (perc) Jose "Chepito" Areas (perc) Michael Shrieve (ds) 1 -Incident At Neshabur -5:12 2 -Taboo -5:08 3 -Jungle Strut -5:46 4 -Toussaint L'Overture -6:17 5 -Evil Ways -4:41 6 -Samba Pa Ti -3:45 7 -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen -6:01 8 -Oye Como Va -4:13 9 -Savor-3:59 10 -Jingo- 4:45 11 -Soul Sacrifice -13:11 12 -Gumbo -5:18 13 -Se A Cabo -2:06 14 -Treat 9:19
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Audience 9.4 - A very tight and brassy sound, super detailed with enough of the surroundings to provide realism…without intrusion. Outstanding!
Santana Pacific Amphitheatre Costa Mesa, CA September 3, 1989 Disc 1 01 Angels All Around Us - Spirits Dancing In The Flesh 02 For Those Who Chant 03 Batuka - No One To Depend On 04 Bella 05 It's A Jungle Out There 06 Unknown 07 Smooth Criminal 08 Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 09 Oye Como Va 10 Unknown 11 Super Boogie 12 Blues For Salvador Disc 2 13 Marbles 14 Unknown 15 Savor - Percussion 16 Goodness And Mercy 17 Everybody's Everything 18 Toussaint L'Overture 19 Soul Sacrifice 20 Love Theme from 'Spartacus' 21 Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile) 22 Ponta de Areia - Deeper, Dig Deeper - Band Introductions -
Audience 9.0 - A little bit further away from the stage than the typical Mike “The Mic” recording, nonetheless it’s solid and worthy of the collection. I noticed also more audience interaction, which, because such good equipment is being used, does not detract at all (I would say it lends more authenticity to the recording).
Santana Pacific Amphitheatre Costa Mesa, CA September 6, 1991 Disc 1 01 Peace On Earth - Mother Earth - Third Stone From The Sun 02 Save The Children 03 It's A Jungle Out There 04 Somewhere In Heaven 05 Batuka 06 No One To Depend On 07 Unknown Disc 2 08 We Don't Have To Wait 09 Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 10 Oye Como Va 11 The Healer (with John Lee Hooker) 12 Mandela 13 Life Is For Living 14 Right On Disc 3 15 Savor 16 Agua Que Va Caer 17 Stripped Me Naked (with John Lee Hooker) 18 Angels All Around Us - Spirits Dancing In The Flesh 19 Soul Sacrifice - A Love Supreme - Drums 20 Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile) 21 Jin-Go-Lo-Ba
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Soundboard 9.4 - Clear and bold (especially percussion) capturing a very fine creative period of the band (the dual guitar with Neal Schon being especially notable). I did notice a slight amount of distortion in the lower frequencies but it's barely noticeable. The mix does change towards the end of No One To Depend On and a lot of the boominess and excessive volume is dialed back so it mitigates any distortion present. SANTANA Denver Coliseum Denver, CO. September 28, 1971 1. Batuka 2. No One To Depend On 3. Taboo 4. Se A Cabo 5. Waiting 6. Incident At Neshabur 7. Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 8. Oye Como Va 9. In A Silent Way 10. Toussaint L'overture 11. Evil Ways 12. Para Los Rumberos 13. Soul Sacrifice Neal Schon - guitar Gregg Rolie - keyboards, vocals Tom Rutley - bass Michael Shrieve - drums Michael Carabello - congas Coke Escovedo - percussion
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Soundboard 9.1 - A somewhat dated sounding tape (a touch of hiss, and a very slight amount of distortion on the cymbals during at least the first 20 minutes as the soundman dials it in) but it is a treat to hear these songs in such good quality. My review is subjective, I think it's a fine recording but I have to nitpick seeing as there's a very steady supply of Santana soundboards. Santana Masonic Auditorium Detroit, MI November 21, 1979 Late Show (Soundboard) Disc 1 01 Marathon - Well Alright 02 All I Ever Wanted 03 Tales Of Kilimanjaro 04 Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 05 Open Invitation 06 Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile) 07 Batuka 08 No One To Depend On 09 Toussaint L'Overture 10 Aqua Marine 11 Just In Time To See The Sun 12 Song Of The Wind 13 Lightning In The Sky Disc 2 14 Savor 15 Jingo 16 Stand Up - Runnin' 17 Percussion Solo - Soul Sacrifice - Drum Solo 18 She's Not There - Marbles 19 Transcendance 20 Band Introductions 21 Oye Como Va 22 Evil Ways
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Soundboard 9.4 - Having received a refreshing facelift, this old and trusty board sounds more alive and vibrant than ever before…and that is great news because these early period Santana shows are essential listening experiences. This one is a must! Santana Waikiki Shell Honolulu, HI, USA May 22, 1970 01 -Se A Cabo (3:49) 02 -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen (4:55) 03 -Savor (3:26) 04 -Jingo (4:33) 05 -Oye Como Va (4:46) 06 -Toussaint L'Overture (4:02) 07 -Evil Ways (4:02) 08 -Treat (5:57) 09 -Gumbo (4:47) 10 -Waiting (4:20) 11 -Hope You're Feeling Better (4:18) 12 -Conquistador Rides Again (3:59) Carlos Santana - Lead Guitar Gregg Rolie - Vocals, Keyboards David Brown - Bass Guitar Michael Carabello - Percussion, Backing Vocals Jose "Chepito" Areas - Percussion, Backing Vocals Michael Shrieve - Drums
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Audience 9.6 - Stunning! It’s bright and clear and super dynamic with a palpable sense of positional awareness as you can hear the sound envelope you and the waves of excitement washing over the audience in seemingly 360 degrees. I take this over any soundboard tape any day of the week. Santana Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA July 15, 1990 Disc 1 01 Angels All Around Us > Spirits Dancing In The Flesh 02 Somewhere In Heaven 03 It's A Jungle Out There 04 Soweto (Africa Libre) 05 Peace On Earth...Mother Earth...Third Stone From The Sun (Jimi Hendrix cover) 06 The Healer (John Lee Hooker cover) 07 Batuka 08 No One To Depend On 09 We Don't Have To Wait Disc 2 10 Bass Solo 11 Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen 12 Oye Como Va 13 Mandela 14 For Those Who Chant 15 Savor 16 Blues For Salvador Disc 3 17 Choose 18 She's Not There (Zombies cover) > Marbles 19 Toussaint L'Ouverture 20 Soul Sacrifice > A Love Supreme 21 Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile) 22 Jin-Go-Lo-Ba
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Audience 8.7 - This slightly above average tape sounds like it has been re-mastered and life restored to it, but the mix favors percussion and keys. The rest of the band is a little behind them but thankfully Carlos’ solos rise up above much more in the mix. I did find it an interesting tape with an atmosphere that lets you kind of soak up the Italian vibe – between the chatter and the feel of the venue itself it is kind of strangely…renaissance. Let’s just say the recording captures a little more than just the rock band that evening and it adds a lot to the experience. That is why I can still recommend this to fans, and the fact that it is 1971 which is that interesting period with Neil Schon. Santana Palaido Milano, Italy April 27, 1971 1. -Waiting 2. -Incident At Neshabur 3. -Toussaint L'Overture 4. -Taboo 5. -Batuka 6. -Evil Ways 7. -Soul Sacrifice 8. -Samba Pa Ti 9. -Black Magic Woman - Gypsy Queen 10. -Oye Como Va 11. -Savor 12. -Jingo
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Soundboard 9.4 - A nice, low gen board from what I consider the apex of this band. In fact I would say my favorite live Santana originates from the Lotus era. I will say this mix does highlight percussion in a way that you hear cymbals and other instruments in a different aural space, almost in stereo as they seem to phase across the speakers and sometimes may even give you the feeling you are hearing tape hiss but alas it is actually residual crash cymbal sounds and maracas. Interesting. Santana Metropolitan Sports Arena Minneapolis, MN March 19, 1973 Disc 1 01 Going Home - A-1 Funk - Every Step Of The Way 02 Samba Pa Ti 03 Look Up (To See What’s Coming Down) 04 Just In Time To See The Sun 05 Incident At Neshabur 06 Bambele 07 Stone Flower 08 Batucada Disc 2 09 Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) 10 Stone Flower (Reprise) 11 Waiting 12 Castillos De Arena, Part 1 (Sand Castle) 13 Free Angela > Concierto de Aranjuez 14 Mantra - Kyoto 15 Castillos De Arena, Part 2 (Sand Castle) 16 Earth 17 Se A Cabo 18 Savor 19 Toussaint L’Overture
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Soundboard 8.8 - A less than perfect board tape as far as the overall timbre, and the mix itself. I found this tape to resemble maybe a really good AM broadcast, but perhaps that is too harsh! It’s not bad, I just personally found it to be lacking some “punch”, although it is clear, it’s a board tape so there will be a built in appreciation for the “closeness” of the sounds. SANTANA - L'Olympia, Paris, France; December 4, 1972 Disc 1 1. Intro 2. Going Home / A-1 Funk / Every Step Of The Way 3. Samba Pa Ti 4. Look Up (To See What's Coming Down) 5. Just In Time To See The Sun 6. Incident At Neshabur 7. Bambele 8. Stone Flower/Batucada / Xibaba (She-Ba-Ba) Disc 2 1. Waiting 2. Castillos de Arena part 1 (Sand Castles) 3. Free Angela / Castillos de Arena - part 2 4. Wings 5. Se a cabo 6. Savor 7. Toussaint L'Overture Carlos Santana - guitar; Richard Kermode - keyboards; Tom Coster - keyboards Douglas Rauch - bass; Michael Shrieve - drums Jose “Chepito” Areas – congas James “Mingo” Lewis - percussion Armando Peraza - percussion