ARTIST

Santana

Most rock artists who've survived the '60s have gotten better, gotten worse, or reinvented themselves in some way, but Santana has always been Santana. Not that the band's been exactly the same all this time: It's had more than two dozen lineups, and some fans will always insist that the first, most rocking version from the late '60s was the best. But leader Carlos Santana has never lost his fire, and the signature sound of his guitar wailing over organ and congas is so strong that whether he plays rock, jazz, Latin or funk, he's still playing Santana music.

Originally, Santana simply fused his Latin influences with the jam-heavy sound of West Coast rock. The first album, and the Woodstock performance of "Soul Sacrifice," were largely responsible for...
More...