The master copy alive recordings were mixed inwards 4-channel quadraphonic sound too released inwards the CBS SQ matrix system. The SQ encoding permits all iv channels to live contained inwards a 2 channel stereo version, which is compatible with conventional stereo playback equipment.
Some releases of this album involve keep been marked equally "Quad" or "SQ" too closed to are not. However, all known releases of this album operate the same SQ encoded 2 channel recordings. Therefore the iv independent channels tin john even thus live heard on modern equipment provided that the listener has a proper SQ decoder too iv channel playback system.
Long held equally a talisman past times Santana fans, who had to purchase it equally a triple-LP Japanese import before Columbia finally issued it on CD inwards 1991, Lotus is a alive album that finds Carlos Santana too his octet (a.k.a. the New Santana Band) at a nexus betwixt rock, Latin music, jazz fusion, too spiritually driven communiqués to the gods. Some of the early on hits are performed, such equally "Black Magic Woman" too "Oye Como Va," but long, intense instrumentals are the monastic nation of the day, equally on the breathtaking "Incident at Neshabur," "Every Step of the Way," too "Toussaint L'Overture."
Lotus was recorded during the heart of Santana's jazz-rock period. But whereas Caravanserai too Welcome (whose lineup is featured here) are relatively quiet, meditate affairs, Lotus is a fiery will to a band that was at its peak. The guitar playing, mixing speaker-frying leads with to a greater extent than avant-garde sounds, foresees the trend Pete Cosey would perfect with Miles Davis a twelvemonth later; too the beat department has loosened upward to the betoken were they tin john switch from groove to groove effortlessly. Leon Thomas contributes a few vocals ("Black Magic Woman" too his trademark yodelling on "Mr. Udo") but the music is close exclusively instrumental.
The long fusion jams -- "Every Step of the Way", "Toussaint L'Overture" too an absolutely bonkers "Incident at Neshabur" -- are definitely high points of this concert. But yous can't overlook the thirty infinitesimal medley that closes disc 1 either. The merely existent weak location is Mike Shrieve's long drum solo "Kyoto" (hey, this was the 70s). If a audio halfway betwixt Caravanserai too Miles Davis's acid funk albums Agharta/Pangaea sounds exciting, yous must hear this.
Many complaints involve keep been lodged against this album including comments regarding the excess length of songs, the constant noodling, the missing presence of Carlos Santana, the lack of an overall melody, too wretched audio quality.
To laid about with, the length of the songs is excellently chosen. And believe it or non Supernatural fans, each vocal is good planned out. Most reviewers who involve keep a beef with this album's length don't similar jazz to laid about with, too wishing that Carlos move along within the bounds of his belatedly 60's too belatedly 90's hitting making iii infinitesimal vocal machine. The greatness of Lotus is its mightiness to accept all of Carlos' beautiful melodies too expand them each into a whole novel creation.
Despite the extended length of songs on Lotus, in that location is no excessive noodling. Each solo has a primal rhythmic too melodic construction that was used to limited inwards a instant what tin john never been repeated. Unlike before Santana albums, Carlos allows other musicians (i.e. splendid keyboards too Latin percussion) to limited beautiful melodies over a palette of amazing chord progressions too tight rhythms. In add-on Carlos is inwards his best recorded form, from the subtlety displayed on Samba Pa Ti to the incredible Incident at Neshabur. Lotus is pure genius if for cypher but the 2d disk of material. Carlos' guitar tone on Lotus is perfect inwards its mightiness to limited cleanly when played gently too john upward when played with swell passion.
Lotus is i of the unmarried greatest achievement inwards guitar playing inwards price of Santana's mightiness to harness too realize the melodic powers of the guitar. No other guitarist I involve keep heard (Jimi, Django, Allman, Clapton, Beck, too fifty-fifty McLaughlin) has unlocked the mystery of a melodic, singable solo to a greater extent than completely than Carlos Santana did on this record.
In regards to the recording character too mix, I believe it to live i of the best alive album ever made. This album is non meant to audio up-front similar a studio album or involve keep lots of crowd dissonance similar alive albums made inwards the belatedly 70's till today have. Lotus is meant to audio endless too reflect with swell warmth. The mic positioning, engineering, too mixing is top notch. Every musical instrument is balanced too every subtlety is audible too clear. If yous involve keep never tried to mix a alive album, yous would never know how difficult it is to attain the degree of warmth too tonal character Lotus produces.
Lotus is close the top of recorded music of all time. Many years after "Smooth" is forgotten, hereafter generations too historians volition hold off upon Lotus equally i of the most of import achievements inwards modern music history.
Lotus is a dream come upward true. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 recording of 2 Santana concerts inwards Osaka, Nippon inwards back upward of Caravanserai, it blends songs from the group's then-current (mid-70s) jazzy menstruation with erstwhile favorites, too is dished out past times both the "New Santana Band" of the fourth dimension too the "Old Santana Band." Yes, a alive Santana CD with Michael Shrieve, Chepito Areas, too Armando Peraza (New) all on percussion! Tom Coster remains most prominent with his Hammond organ, but Lotus likewise features Richard Kermode (New) on keyboards. In substance, merely i vocal from Caravanserai is included, a swell version of "Every Step of the Way," but Welcome is represented past times "Samba de Sausalito" too the pretty "Yours Is the Light." Coster bedazzles on the rockers from the outset iii albums equally good equally Airto's Brazilian jazz "Xibaba," i of the best moments inwards thus many swell ones. There is a 16-minute, unforgettable version of "Incident at Neshabur," with an extended, lovely coda--What to a greater extent than could yous inquire for? Carlos's superpowered guitar is mesmerizing, always; the entire atmosphere is otherworldly, dark, beautiful, modern jazzy (there is likewise a nod to Chick Corea), too most of all, electrifying. Early Santana too Lotus rule.
When "Lotus" was originally released equally a vinyl Japanese-only import (1974), it was i of the most prized items alongside collectors. The packaging...nowhere close equally of import equally the music itself...was a mind-blowing event of excogitation too inventiveness with several fold-out posters too the sleeve that housed the iii discs inside. That's i of the things that delayed the unloosen of "Lotus" on CD for thus many years...shrinking all of that wonder downwards into a 4.75" x 4.75" plastic box. They DID it...maybe non equally spectacularly equally the master copy 12 x 12 release...but it was magnificent packaging for what is basically Carlos Santana's "A Love Supreme." Seriously...if yous similar the popular stuff, to a greater extent than mightiness to you. There's enough of expert stuff there. But this was the top of Santana's spiritual / fusion era. In 1973 he added "Devadip" to his name, which meant "the low-cal of the light of the Supreme." That low-cal burns brightly across "Lotus," peculiarly on CD 2 (where most of the extended numbers reside, including the fifteen infinitesimal "Incident at Neshabur"). As Santana fans know, in that location are "several dissimilar Santanas." This was the MILES Santana, the COLTRANE Santana. This is scary too amazing music played with thus much mind-numbing passion that yous involve keep to wonder why in that location are people who don't "get" Santana. Get Lotus, too strap yourself inwards for i heck of a ride.
Track listing:
Disc 1
- Going Home
- A-1 Funk
- Every Step of the Way
- Black Magic Woman
- Gypsy Queen
- Oye Como Va
- Yours Is The Light
- Batuka
- Xibaba
- Stone Flower (Introduction)
- Waiting
- Castillos de Arena, Part 1 (Sand Castle)
- Free Angela
- Samba de Sausalito
- Mantra
- Kyoto
- Castillos de Arena, Part 2 (Sand Castle)
- Incident AT Neshabur
- Se Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Cabo
- Samba Pa Ti
- Mr. Udo
- Toussaint L'Overture
Carlos Santana (vocals, guitar, percussion);
Tom Coster (vocals, electrical piano, organ, keyboards, percussion);
Richard Kermode (vocals, electrical piano, keyboards, percussion);
Armando Peraza (vocals, congas, bongos, percussion);
José Chepitó Areas (vocals, congas, timbales, percussion);
Leon Thomas (vocals, maracas, percussion, audio effects);
Doug Rauch (guitar);
Michael Shrieve (drums).
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