Customer Reviews

Moonflower

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Did you know that Santana's 1999 smash succes "Supernatural" was his first million-seller since 1977's "Moonflower"? And there is a good reason for it. The original double vinyl album mixed up new studio tracks with live versions of older nuggets, and works spendidly.

"Moonflower" (2 CDS, 19 tracks, 97 min.) became a mega-seller primarily due to the (unexpected) succes of its lead-off single, a Latinized cover of the Zombies' "She's Not There". Other singles followed, including "I'll Be Waiting", and "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)", a beautiful 'Samba Pa Ti'-like instrumental with awesome guitar solos from Santana (it was a HUGE hit in Europe, where I grew up). But there are many other nuggets, such as "Flor d'Luna (Moonflower), another beautiful instrumental. The live tracks are pretty darn good too, including the "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" medley, and the 14 min. blowout "Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands & Feet", outstanding!

This remastered edition, in addition to the superb sound, adds the single versions of "She's Not There", "I'll Be Waiting" and "Black Magic Woman". In all, "Moonflower" is a terrific album all around. Notwithstanding the mega-succes of "Supernatural", I wish that Santana would go back to the well of the sound of the older days, documented so well on "Moonflower".

As a guitar player myself, I have admired the chops of Carlos Santana (despite the fact that his solos tend to get repetitive over time) and his band members. This CD includes many live tracks, and it is the best documentation of the power and passion of this distinctive ensemble band. If I had to choose just one Santana CD to own, this would be the one.

The latin rock rhythm section is tight throughout, and Greg Walker's vocals are engagingly soulful. But for most fans, the highlights are Carlos Santana's wailing guitar solos. Like other great lead guitarists, Santana gives his instrument the emotional feel and complexity of the human voice. His solo on the live version of "Black Magic Woman" screams with passion, while his solo on the live version of "Europa" drips with regret.

In addition to Carlos Santana's work, one of the highlights of this CD is a brilliant keyboard solo by Tom Coster on the live track "Dance Sister Dance." The musicianship of all the members of the band makes this an impressive and satisfying experience for musicians and casual fans alike.

Moonflower is mix of revisited older songs, some new material, and live tracks.

I listened to it first when I was 16 - when the cover "She's Not There" was in the charts, and now, over 20 years later I still play it regularly. At the time though I was blown away by one particular track-the live rendition of Europa(Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile). You'll find the original studio recording of Europa on the Amigos album; and a weak and flacid thing it is. Put it this way; I have a "Carlos Santana" guitar tablature book, featuring Europa, and after 6 months I'd managed to play the instrumental note-for-note, just in the same way as played on Amigo's.

I can forget trying to play it the same way Carlos played in live. I don't think it can be done, even by a top studio musician.

The live tracks, together with the revisited studio numbers take on a different hue altogether on Moonflower. Wait until the neighbours are out, turn the volume right up and...well, how can I describe it? Prepare to be amazed.

The first thing that hits you is the speed of the numbers - the tempo increases markedly for most of them; nice easy blues/latin tracks become out-and-out heavy rock epics. The second thing that gets you is Carlos's guitar tone. It's not the weedy, processed sound you get now (I do wish he had never met Paul Reed Smith!) but rather a deep, huge tone extracted from his Yamaha. The sound produced is huge, and glorious to listen to. The third thing is the dynamics of Carlos's playing. With the gain and volume up, feedback is readily available, and he uses it to sustain notes seemingly forever (Europa). Grace notes (and chords!) abound everywhere. He's eager to solo, almost impatient for the superb Tom Costa to finish his bit. The other musicians contribute just as much - providing a confident base for Santana to go off on wild flights of solo melodies. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen is transformed into a powerful beast with pace and the melodies that the original recording just hinted-at. Let The Children play benefits from a huge increase in well, how can it be put? Joy. That'll be the word. Dance Sister Dance has one of the most infectious riffs your likely to hear. I'll be Waiting has a platinum-pure solo. And Europa? Well, it's just perfect. Scary (how could someone write and play something that good) hugely melodic, with a sonic landscape that is unforgettable. The contrast with the Amigos version is just ridiculous - the live version is the one to remember, packed full of sustain and feedback and pace - my God pace, with legato passages that are simply incredible.

There's no other Santana album like Moonflower. It was the perfect combination of a superb band, great songs, both new and old, high production values and of course Carlos at his magical best. I can't listen to his "recent" material, featuring guests of marketable value but questionable talent. 2005 will apparently see a "Latin-style" Santana album released amongst others. Although the fingers are slower, I'd love to see him ditch the PRS's and wipe the dust off the old SG2000 and give his newer fans a brief insight into Santana music that could send shivers down your back.

"Best album in history" you say? How can that be? Well answer this- how can nine musicians on the live tracks blend together with such perfection that they eclips even the six members of the Allman Brothers at the Fillmore East? There are four percussionists in perfect sync compared to the Allman Brothers two. Carlos is the the arguably the best guitar player in history. There may be others that are technically better than he but no one can put as much emotion and soul into his solos like Santana.

I first saw Santana in concert at a theater in downtown San Diego during their "Moonflower" tour in 1977. It was an absolutely religious experience for me. The highpoint being Carlos' emotional rendition of Europa in which, I swear to God, he was having imaginary sex on stage. (Europa blows away Marvin Gaye in the realm of bedroom mood music).

The live rendition of Black Magic Woman is so unbeleiveably good that the studio vertion should be banned from radio play and replaced by the Moonflower version. Greg Walker is the best vocalist that Santana has ever used and his crooning on the song "Transcendance" will send shivers up your spine along with the one of the most amazing guitar solos Santana has ever spun. Why has no one ever heard of song "Transcendance"? Its one of the great mysteries of the radio universe.

If you love percussion and the sound of four guys going off with their sticks and hands this album has the best percussion sounds I have ever heard. I have listened to this album at least twice a month for the last thirty years and I know I will never get tired of it.

There is no better album out there - turn up the Watts!

This album is a nice mix between the more "pop" vocal leanings of the Santana band and the intense, explosive Miles / McLaughlin-inspired fusion work. The cover of The Zombies' "She's Not There" was a massive FM radio hit in its day (1977). Live tracks include the required "Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen, "Soul Sacrifice," and "Savor / Toussaint L'Overture," but the real gem of this collection is the career-best performance of "Europa." I've lost track of how many times this has appeared on Santana albums, both in studio and live formats, but this is the one. The next time you hear someone trashing Santana, put on "Europa" and watch them shut up...FAST. This album, "Lotus," and "Welcome" make up my "3 all-time greatest Santana albums" list.

This is all the Santana that anyone really MUST have. Abraxas is a classic, but this gives a taste of the live energy that was Santana at his/their best.

If you're looking for the one Santana album that encompasses all of his talents, this is it. If you're not familiar with Santana, and are considering his music, this album is it. A collection of live cuts and studio tracks, this album was released right "Amigos". It was released during a period when Carlos Santana was pursuing some serious spiritual pathways, and the music is the better for it.

The band for the live cuts was one tight group, and, in my opinon, the best collection of musicians Carlos (or Devadip Carlos, as he called himself at the time)has ever assembled. I can not offhand think of another Santana album where the band is so astonishingly enegetic and incredibly tight. The jazz/fusion influence of Tom Coster's keyboard playing can be felt throughout.

For me, the tracks that particularly stand out are "Europa", "Transcendance", and "Soul Sacrifice". The live version of Europa, with its increaed tempo and careful use of feedback, and the extended jamming near the end, is worth the price of the album. "Transcendance" is a studio cut with an exteded guitar jam that's fast and tight..no sloppy notes here. The live "Soul Sacrifice" is the album's tour de force, where no ounce of energy is spared. The guitar work is beyond description. The closing power chords rank right up there with the most powerful rock chords ever recorded. As reviewer GLM accurately states, this track will "test your speakers" and "make your ear wax fall out". It's tough to listen to this one and not feel pumped afterward, wondering what hit you.

The one drawback to this CD, and it's a minor one, is that the tracks too frequently alternate between studio and stage. If played right through, the arrangement of the tracks can present too much of a mood change. You can easily overcome this by suitably programming your player. Also, the opening track, Dawn/Go Within, gets cut off way too early. Just as the groove is really picking up and Tom Coster is laying down some great piano chords, the song fades and segues into the live "Carnaval".

This album says it all for Santana.

Enjoy.

For Santana fans this is the best Live recording yet. Be sure to have enough power behind your amp and crank it up when you listen to Soul Sacrifice / Head, Hands & Feet. This cut will test your speakers. I have a vintage pair of Altec Lansing model 19's hooked up to a true 250 watt per channel amp, and I have toasted them with this cut. Plan a evening sit back and prepare to have your ear wax fall out. I have been listing to this album since it's release almost 30 years ago and never tire of it...............

For true Santana fans, this is - in my opinion - the best Santana CD available. There is a mixture of popular songs along with some great guitar solos. "Transcendance" - to me - is probably the best guitar solo by Carlos Santana ever recorded.

I know that's a strong statement, but Carlos and Co. were "firing on all 8" at this point in their career. There had been personel changes in the band several years earlier that,besides Carlos' need to change and evolve,led to a "fresh breath" of air for the group...now Santana wasn't just a Latin-Rock band evident on the first three albums. With some fresh new talent(most notably Tom Coster,Greg Walker and Graham Lear)in the band, they started mixing bits of Fusion and Jazz with their already potent mix of Latin-laced rock---although they had been exploring similar ideas on releases leading up to this release, their vision seemed to come to fruition on Moonflower and other releases such as Borboletta(IMO). There is so much on this album to like...soft songs,hard songs,cover songs,live and studio songs and songs that are near transcendent. Once again, the musicians are in top form...and those percussionists...WOW! This is simply an awesome album that I find myself "craving" quite often and is among my favorites in a 1200+ CD collection. There is a reason why Moonflower has a consistent 5-star rating...if you don't know why, FIND OUT! Enjoy, Jeff