Santana: The Fusion of Rock, Latin, and Spirit

Santana. Formation and Early Years

Santana was formed in San Francisco in 1966, led by Carlos Santana, a Mexican-born guitarist whose playing combined blues, jazz, Afro-Cuban, and rock influences.

The original lineup, known as the Santana Blues Band, included:

• Carlos Santana – Lead guitar
• Gregg Rolie – Keyboards, vocals
• David Brown – Bass
• Michael Shrieve – Drums
• José “Chepito” Areas and Michael Carabello – Percussion

The band emerged from the Bay Area psychedelic scene, but stood apart with its percussive energy, spiritual undercurrent, and Latino musical foundation.

Santana. Breakthrough: Woodstock and Early Albums (1969–1972)

✦ Woodstock (1969)

Santana’s explosive performance of “Soul Sacrifice” at Woodstock introduced their polyrhythmic rock fusion to a national audience — before their debut album had even dropped.

✦ Santana (1969)

• “Evil Ways” – A breakout hit
• “Jingo” – A Nigerian rhythm brought into rock
• “Soul Sacrifice” – A dazzling instrumental

✦ Abraxas (1970) – Their definitive early masterpiece

• “Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen” – A fusion of Fleetwood Mac and Gábor Szabó
• “Oye Como Va” – A Tito Puente classic reimagined
• “Samba Pa Ti” – A sensual, melodic guitar instrumental

Abraxas cemented Santana as both a commercial success and a cultural bridge between Latin music and American rock.

✦ Santana III (1971)

Expanded the sound with Neal Schon on guitar (later of Journey).
Highlights:

• “Everybody’s Everything”
• “No One to Depend On”

Santana. Spiritual Turn and Jazz Fusion Era (1973–1979)

Carlos Santana underwent a spiritual transformation under the influence of Sri Chinmoy, which shifted the band toward more experimental and mystical music.

✦ Caravanserai (1972)

A move into instrumental, jazz-influenced territory. Critics loved it, but it confused some fans.

Follow-up albums like:

• Welcome (1973)
• Borboletta (1974)
• Amigos (1976)

…embraced fusion, global music, and spirituality, blending Latin percussion with jazz, funk, and Eastern mysticism.

Carlos also collaborated with John McLaughlin and Alice Coltrane, further cementing his fusion credentials.

Santana. 1980s–1990s: Commercial Decline, Artistic Persistence

While Santana remained a respected live act, studio albums in the ’80s like Zebop! (1981) and Shangó (1982) had sporadic commercial hits:

• “Winning”
• “Hold On”
• “Say It Again”

The band kept touring, and Carlos Santana maintained a loyal fanbase — but radio and mainstream media began to overlook them.

Santana. Career Renaissance: Supernatural and Global Resurgence (1999–2000s)

✦ Supernatural (1999)

A phenomenal comeback — both critically and commercially — that introduced Santana to a new generation.

Key Tracks:

• “Smooth” (feat. Rob Thomas) – A global smash hit
• “Maria Maria” (feat. The Product G&B) – Billboard #1
• “Put Your Lights On” (feat. Everlast)

Supernatural won 9 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, and sold over 30 million copies worldwide.

Carlos Santana became a pop culture icon once again, collaborating with artists like:

• Wyclef Jean
• Lauryn Hill
• Dave Matthews
• CeeLo Green

Continued Work and Legacy (2000s–Present)

Subsequent albums include:

• Shaman (2002) – “The Game of Love” with Michelle Branch
• All That I Am (2005)
• Corazón (2014) – Featuring Latin pop artists like Juanes and Romeo Santos
• Santana IV (2016) – Reunion with the early ’70s lineup
• Blessings and Miracles (2021) – Another all-star collaboration effort

✦ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Santana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Carlos Santana was also ranked among Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitarists, praised for his melodic phrasing, sustain, and spiritual tone.

Legacy and Influence

Santana’s influence includes:

• Bringing Latin music into the rock mainstream
• Blending jazz, African rhythms, soul, and blues into one expressive language
• Inspiring artists across genres — from rock to hip-hop to Latin pop
• Creating one of the most genre-defying catalogs in popular music

Carlos Santana remains a spiritual and musical ambassador, dedicated to peace, consciousness, and global unity through music.

Interesting Facts

• Santana’s Supernatural (1999) was one of the best-selling albums of all time by a Latin artist.
• “Smooth” spent 12 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was named Billboard’s #2 song of all time (as of 2021).
• Carlos is an outspoken advocate of spirituality, education, and nonviolence through his Milagro Foundation.
• Santana was one of only a few performers to appear at both Woodstock (1969) and Woodstock ‘94.