Caravanserai [Original recording remastered]

Santana | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 30, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000AKY7E
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,887 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: SANTANA,CARLOS
Title: CARAVANSERAI
Street Release Date: 09/30/2003
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POP

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 112 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Caravansari Remaster version review, October 19, 2003

By 

Christopher Henrici (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Caravanserai (Audio CD)

I don't know about ya'll, but I'm about gettin tired of this "remastered" business. Firstly, at this stage of the game, many of these "remastered" albums are just being equalized from the previous digital copy (most likely a 16 bit Sony 1630 digital master), this release makes no mention of using the analog masters. For lovers of Caravansari, keep your old disc and save your money unless you just gotta have those extended liner notes. The other reviewer is absolutely correct....great album, one of Santana's most daring and experimental... a very rewarding listen, but the reissue is mostly about greed....cheap case and thinner disc than previous one with virtually identical sound. The remaster is a little brighter...which will make it more or less appealing depending on your tastes...but basically there is not enough difference to buy again. No bonus tracks either, they did'nt even do "super bit mapping" this time. Of the reissues by Santana, Abraxas is the only one that has some really good bonus material (live tracks from the same period) which makes it worthwhile. Get "Welcome" or "Love, Devotion Surrender" instead of this. Let me see if I'm understanding this correctly- "Hey what we sold you before was crap, and even the one after that, and sometimes the next one after that was crappy too...this new one is the good one"...if you want to believe it go ahead...usually the differences are small, once in a while you get a significant improvement, but the passage of time and it's effects on analog tape is making that less likely.

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Arguably, The Best Latin Jazz CD ever, February 13, 2004

By 

o dubhthaigh (north rustico, pei, canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Caravanserai (Audio CD)

Carlos Santana was at the top of his powers as a guitarist, in full command of the riches treasures of his cultural heritage and on fire with his new found spiritual devotion when he recorded this brilliant testament. This is an absolutely must-have, DID, whatever you want to call it CD. Somehow you should not be allowed to escape the wheel of reincarnation without absorbing the spiritual dimensions of this music. There is only Coltrane's LOVE SUPREME that stands in the same light.
Having said that, the remastering done for this release is spectacular. t is positively gorgeous all the way through. You will swear you are heaing this for the first time. I loved this record on vinyl and felt the first CD pressing did it a great disservice. The restoration here, however, is to be applauded.
Throughout this disc, Santana was wroking with the core of the group he had assembled to break into and light aflame the muisc world when he emerged from San Francisco. He was never to really find the same spirit of mission in any later works. All of this ensembles efforts are extraordinary, and this one in particular comes from someplace very deep in the devotional soul of a very fine human being.
This is GREAT MUSIC lovingly and respectfully restored to it first and undeniable power.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An artist following and achieving his vision, August 7, 2005

By 

John Alapick (Wilkes-Barre, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Caravanserai (Audio CD)

Carvanserai saw Carlos Santana and the band plunge headfirst into jazz-fusion. At the time of its release, Santana were coming off three successful albums, the last two of which hit #1, and several hit singles, most notably "Evil Ways" and "Black Magic Woman." They could have taken the safe route and continued to make albums with a similar sound. However, like a true artist, Carlos was searching. Caravanserai would show an artistic growth as the band added doses of funk, gospel, and African rhythms to their already substantial palette. Mostly an instrumental work, the few vocals are sparse and very emotional. Finally, Carlos Santana's guitar work takes a quantum leap as this album may contain his most passionate solos ever constructed.

"Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation" brings visions of nighttime in the wilderness as a jungle beat and quiet flashes of guitar and piano add to the scene. This leads into the fiery "Waves Within", a track super heavy on percussion and Santana's passionate playing. "Look Up (To See What's Coming Down)" continues the journey with its slashing guitar chords and heavy use of funk-bass. This leads into the dramatic "Just in Time to See the Sun", a short vocal track with a heavy African feel. "Song Of The Wind", a track similar to "Samba Pa Ti" from Abraxas, contains a long and passionate solo from Santana. "All the Love of the Universe" is an outstanding track which stays somewhat subdued during its verses but gathers momentum during its gospel-tinged chorus. The bass playing here is fantastic and both Santana and organist Gregg Rolie contribute excellent solos. "Future Primitive" continues the album's African influences with a moody organ leading to a heavy percussion workout (this track sounds awesome on headphones). "Stone Flower", the third and last track to contain vocals, is lead by a jungle beat and a memorable lyrical guitar line from Santana. "La Fuente del Ritmo" is another track very heavy on percussion similar to those on Santana III. Finally, "Every Step of the Way" is a 9-minute tour de force, starting out with a slow long build before it reaches its main theme just before the 3:00 mark. The band's vigorous performance, as well as the flute solo and orchestra near its closing, makes this arguably their most intense track ever recorded, blowing away the more popular "Soul Sacrifice." All told, a very impressive album, one that captures the listener and doesn't let go until its dramatic end. Newcomers may want to start out with their more popular releases like their first three albums or one of Santana's many best-of collections before checking this out. If you jumped on the bandwagon during the late-90's and early-00's, be forewarned. Caravanserai makes albums like Supernatural and Shaman sound like Britney Spears.