If you just look at the chart numbers, the self-titled debut album by Santana in 1969 seems like it was the product of a band coming out of the gate with a clear vision of what they wanted to do and a confidence they’d be accepted on a wide level. In fact, these were six guys who were very much making it up as they went along.
Then again, that album set the tone for what Santana would bring to the table, as this band has always been about whatever Carlos Santana and his rotating group of cohorts had in their heads and hearts at the moment they were making the music. Here is how Santana first made their mark on the music world.
Changing on the Fly
Versions of Santana had existed for about three years before they settled in to make their debut record. With Carlos Santana already showing incredible virtuosity on the guitar, the band possessed an inviting linchpin. In their earliest incarnations, they were more focused on blues rock, and they drew the attention of rock impresario Bill Graham, who championed them as leading lights of the San Francisco scene.
By the time they had gained the attention of Columbia Records, they were morphing into something quite different. Organist Gregg Rolie brought a little bit of freeform jazz improvisation to the mix. Michael Carabello and Jose “Chepito” Areas played congas and various percussion instruments, which allowed the band to come up with unique polyrhythmic constructions while also adding a Latin flavor that wasn’t often heard in rock.
But when the band took to the studio to take their first shot at recording their debut, they felt the results lacked the magic they found in their live shows. They decided a new drummer was needed, and they hired Michael Shrieve. The six-man lineup was set (David Brown played bass), and they headed back to the studio in May 1969 to give it another try.
For the most part, Santana were novices as songwriters, which meant they relied heavily on instrumentals on the debut, most of which sprung up through improvisation. But Graham imposed upon them to try to record something that would stand out on radio, suggesting “Evil Ways,” which had been recorded but little-heard before.
Graham’s other big contribution was getting the band booked at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in August 1969. Santana stood out with their multi-genre workouts and stoked the demand for the debut album, which came out the week after the festival.
Revisiting Santana’s Debut
When you dive into Santana’s debut album, you have to accept that you’re not going to get much that resembles the pop and rock songs of the era. “Evil Ways” did its job in that it put the band in the Billboard Top 10, with Rolie’s organ punches and Carlos Santana’s slithering guitar giving flavor to a pretty basic construction.
But once you adjust to the Santana album and meet it on its wavelength, you’ll likely get lost in the interplay of the instrumentalists. It’s truly a team effort. Even though his name was on the marquee, Carlos Santana knew that playing hero ball with his guitar might lead to temporary thrills, but it wouldn’t produce an album of lasting impact.
On the opening track “Waiting,” he largely provides atmospheric touches while Rolie paints a colorful picture. “Jingo” gives the percussionists a chance to go all-out and provide a frenzied pulse. Closing track “Soul Sacrifice,” the jam that captured the imagination of the Woodstock fans, lets every one of the players take a bow, although Carlos Santana’s guitar work, alternately lyrical and potent, stands out.
Santana’s follow-up album Abraxas found them tailoring their instrumental excursions to a more song-oriented approach, which is how they mostly proceeded from there. But if you just want to get lost in six ace players interweaving seamlessly—with Carlos Santana as the benevolent ringleader—that debut album is as good as it gets.
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