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Santana IV (2016)

Where the lyrics of Santana IV take you, and where it was really made.

The early 1970s quintet had not recorded together since 1971's Santana III, and this album brought most of its surviving members back into one studio.

Key places

Recording at Tarpan Studios (2016)

Recording site Tarpan Studios — Santana IV was recorded at Tarpan Studios in San Rafael, California. The band recorded through 2014 and 2015. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Audio Mix House (2016)

Recording site The Hideout — Audio Mix House in Henderson, Nevada is listed as a recording location for the album. The point marks the city centre. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at The Bubble (2016)

Recording site Mirrorball Studios — The Bubble in Austin, Texas is listed as a recording location for the album. The point marks the city centre. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Santana IV: 24th studio album by American rock band Santana, 38th album overall
• Released April 2016
• Reunites most surviving members of the band's early 1970s lineup
• First time the quintet recorded together since 1971's Santana III
• Timbalist José Areas was not invited to take part
• Core members joined by Karl Perazzo (percussion) and Benny Rietveld (bass)
• Ronald Isley guests as vocalist on two cuts
• Contains 16 new tracks written and produced by the band

Background

• The reunion idea goes back several years
• Neal Schon first suggested recording with Carlos Santana
• Santana proposed recruiting Gregg Rolie, Michael Shrieve and Michael Carabello, picking up where Santana III left off
• Album title and lineup point back to the classic early 1970s band
• Signature elements: Afro-Latin rhythms, vocals, blues-psychedelic guitar solos, percussion

Recording

• Initial writing sessions and rehearsals took place in 2013
• Recording continued through 2014 and 2015
• Result: 16 new tracks written and produced by the band

Cover

• Cover credited to Heather Griffin-Vine and Michael Carabello

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in San Francisco, California, in 1966 by Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana.
• Named the Santana Blues Band at a January 1967 Fillmore audition; shortened to Santana by the end of 1967.
• Signed with Columbia Records in late 1968.
• The "classic" line-up stabilised in May 1969: Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, David Brown, Michael Shrieve and Jose "Chepito" Areas.

Members

• Carlos Santana is the only consistent member across the band's history.
• Classic line-up: Santana, Gregg Rolie (organ, lead vocals), Michael Carabello and Jose "Chepito" Areas (percussion), Michael Shrieve (drums), David Brown (bass).
• Brown died in 2000; Areas was not invited to the 2014 reunion.
• Classic line-up members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Career

• Breakthrough at the 1969 Woodstock Festival; the debut album Santana peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard 200.
• Abraxas (1970) and Santana III (1971) both reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200.
• Early 1970s experiments with jazz fusion on Caravanserai (1972), Welcome (1973) and Borboletta (1974).
• Amigos (1976) returned the band to commercial success; Moonflower (1977) was its most successful album since Santana III.
• Commercial decline in the 1980s, followed by a seven-year recording hiatus.
• Supernatural (1999) won eight Grammy Awards and sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide.
• Santana IV (2016) reunited the classic line-up, the first recording together in 45 years.
• Estimated 100 million records sold worldwide.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave the album 3.5 out of 5 stars
• Jurek wrote that the reunion proves its musical mettle, even when the album gives in to excess: "Unlike the reunions of most classic rockers, this one proves its musical mettle, even when the album gives in to excess."
• Jurek praised the fiery interplay between the guitarists and said Rolie and Shrieve were never less than inspiring
• Jurek said the album runs over 75 minutes and would have benefited greatly from judicious editing
• Jurek still found the album quite enjoyable, especially when split over a couple of listens
• Jurek said the players keep a real musical connection and shared joy

Records

• United States: debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200
• First-week sales: 42,000 album-equivalent units, including 40,000 copies sold
• Santana's fourteenth top ten album on the Billboard 200

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The first single, 'Anywhere You Want to Go', was released on February 5, 2016, before the album.
• The vinyl pressing used an embossed gatefold jacket, 180g vinyl and a download card.
• Carlos Santana described the restored lineup: "It was magical, we didn't have to try to force the vibe – it was immense."
• The album was mastered at Sterling Sound.
• Santana's lineup credits list Gregg Rolie on Hammond B3 organ and keyboards alongside lead vocals.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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