Customer Reviews

Swing of Delight

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Recorded in 1980, this set of latin infused jazz instrumental work-outs wavers, often precariously, between self-indulgence and brilliance. Drawing on the formats pioneered by Weather Report, the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Lifetime, and supported by a pantheon of jazz masters - including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter and Tony Williams - Carlos Santana comes dangerously close to producing a classic "jazz fusion" album. But... the problem that permeates the record is simple: the inherently melodic guitar playing and compositional style of his latin based music lead the listener to expectations that sit uncomfortably with the free-form, often frantic, improvisations that underpin the "fusion" format being adopted.

Virtually all of the tracks have a strong initial melodic "hook" that is then subjected to serious instrumental exploration. In some cases, such as "Love Theme From Spartacus" and "Song For My Brother" the formula works, quite superbly - two of the very best of Carlos Santana's tracks regardless of format or time. However, in others such as "Gardenia", "Phular Matan" and "Swapan Tari" the quest for improvisation at best intrudes into, and at worst seriously diverts from, a potentially highly satisfying outcome. The worst example of this is "Golden Hours" where a superb track is virtually destroyed by a final guitar and organ "jam" that leaves the listener with the distinct feeling that musical virtuosity as an end in itself has taken over. While brave, the truth is that to make Carlos Santana's latin style work in fast, improvisational jazz structures is very difficult - witness the fact that when the format is switched into more standard jazz fusion as in "Sher Kahn, The Tiger" (a straight reference to early Weather Report) the conflicts disappear and the outcome is not only excellent but comfortable and expected.

A "difficult" album on many levels but, in the end, worth the effort. Along with "Santana"'s very first album and his work with John Lee Hooker, this album contains some of the most innovative and exciting output that this marvellous guitarist has produced.

The idea of Carlos Santana jamming with the likes of Tony Williams, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, et. al., is more brilliant in design than execution. Chemistry is somewhat lacking, and the whole thing never really gels. Still, "Swing" is better than Carlos' post-2000 duet output. Stick with "Caravanserai" and "Welcome": the New Santana Band was a tight crew on these albums.

While Carlos Santana skirted the edges of jazz for much of the 1970s, here he plunged right in and made a real jazz album with jazz giants. It is a brilliant success. Too bad he never tried it again. The playing is really hot yet accessible. The inspiration level is consistently high. This is not esoteric jazz--it fits comfortably into the upper level of electric jazz of its day, but has aged better than most of the electric jazz by other artists. This album should not be overlooked!

The remaster by Friday Music is well done; a sonic improvement over the original CD release. The sound is fuller, and more dynamic.
The packaging is attractive, a cardboard gatefold, w/ more info and is more descriptive.
This is a pleasant addition to the much-needed overhaul of this era of the Santana catalog.

It is difficult to rate this album and be fair to all the review readers.
To start, yes this is a Santana album. The guitar and the mood is all of a Santana album; yet "The swing of delight" is a total swing from Santana's previous releases. It is not Rock; it is not Rock- Jazz -Fusion either, but a pure Jazz album.
Featuring great Jazz musicians like Ron Carter, Tony Williams and Herbie Hancock.
How wrong can you be, buying a Jazz album with all these musicians playing in it? Not much.
If you are a ROCK Santana Fan, then stay away from this album.
If you are into Jazz music and want to hear Carlos Santana perform with some great Jazz musicians, this is your only chance.

I love this album. Despite its faults, and there are aqueably a few, I absolutely love this album, and have done so for well over 20yrs. I used to borrow it from the library many, many years ago, and each time owed a small fortune in overdue fines. I've had this album on tape, vinyl , and finally cd.
The first time I heard this album, in 1985, it knocked me flat. It changed not only what I listened to, but the way I listened to music. It turned me on to Jazz, and taught me to actually sit down and listen......well...you had to as there was so much to listen to!
The album features jazz regulars like Harvey Mason, members of the Miles Davis Quartet,Weather Report, as well the Santana Band, and, as one would expect, the musicianship is top notch. The music itself is a heady brew/ fusion of high octane arvant-guarde free-form electric jazz and meditative spiritualist soundscapes.
Other reviewers say the results are a bit mixed and spotty, and yes perhaps there is one or two(or three) tracks that are not quite there, but nonetheless, I think the outcome is highly satisfying.
My favourites:
Swapan Tari is one track all Santana fans ahould hear, with blistering, frantic "free for all" guitar and saxophone(Rusell Tubbs) solos. Its mad but brilliant.
Love Theme from Spartacus is absolutely beautiful, starting off with a most quiet, gentle guitar intro along with Herbie Hancock. The inro slowly escalates into a most exotic, ethereal saxophone solo(Wayn Shorter) that almost leaves one in tears of ecstasy, followed by a very minimalist but sensous guitar.
Jharna Khala is a real kick in the pants abstract roller-coaster tune with sax(Russell Tubbs) and keyboard(Hancock) topped off by a guitar finish.
But probably the best of all is Shere Khan the Tiger. Turn the lights out low, grab your favourite wine, and prepare to be transported someplace else. The musicianship on this one is stratospheric, and the tune surreal and meditative. The song features the most dreamlike, zen like leadout with a most graceful interchange of guitar (Santana), Keyboards(Herbie Hancock), acoustic bass (Ron Carter), drums (Harvey Mason), and saxophone(Wayne Shorter)you will probably ever hear.
As for Santana himself, be prepared for some real playing. His guitar playing is an absolute treat, with such a huge range of sensitivities, from slow, elegant, gentle, and minimalist, to fast and furious, and notes a plenty. He has, in my oppinion a very unique blend, with a rock sound , but with a jazz approach.
As one reviewer has said , yes, the tunes are a nod to Sri Chimmoy, and are very mantra like with exotic titles.
I highly recommend this album, and if you are: a) a guitarist b) a Santana fan, or C) jazz fan, one cannot and should not walk past this album.
Be inspired, go change your life, go and buy this album.
Superb!

This is one of Santana's greatest musical accomplishments as I see it. Though rough in a couple of spots, there are some amazing connections going on in this album, especially between Carlos and Herbie Hancock, who appear together on every track. In many ways, this is one of the better Herbie Hancock CDs as well. A great album for anyone who likes creative fusion and latin jazz when it was at the height of its brilliance.

This is largely an album dedicated to Santana's guru, Sri Chimnoy, The tunes Phuler Matan and others with exotic titles are short modal mantras written by Sri Chimnoy (I have heard him perform them on his own albums, which is his voice accompanied by air organ only). Santana has taken the melodies and brought in the top fusion guys of the day to play them in an improvisational setting. The results are mixed, with Tony Williams pumping out rocky fusion beats over Herbie Hancock's sympathetic but a little harsh-sounding Rhodes. Mind you, in terms of clarity, the production on this album is superb, the best around at the time when I heard it. Also the original was a double-vinyl, with less than 15 minutes per side so that the groove spacing could be farther to allow for extended dynamic range during playback. Great idea but a lot of side-flipping...anyway the music is solid but the material is a little thin, melodically, and the ryhthms closer to rock or latin that to jazz. Mr. Santana thanks Hancock and Wayne Shorter and the other stellar players on this album as the culmination of a dream to make an album with those he considers the best musicians in the world. The rest of the album consists of Wayne Shorter titles such as "Shere Khan, the Tiger" and "Love Theme From Spartacus". I liked the album originally but now I don't listen anymore as I found it to be a little too pretentious, despite the star power.

This is a great jazzy/fusion Carlos Santana solo album. This album features members of Weather Report and is a solid listen all the way through.

any CD or Album that has a song as beautiful as Shere Khan , The Tiger on it is a five star record . it is a Wayne Shorter tune beautifully done by the Boys from the Miles days along with Carlos . A soundtrack for the imagination of Shere Khan , The Tiger , from Kiplings Jungle Book , it brings us into the the Tigers world and then into the sublime . a top Wayne Shorter piece with beautiful playing by all , including Soprano and Tenor sax .
Theme From Spartacus , arranged by Herbie i believe , with Wayne soaring , is another five star track with the Miles boys .