The master copy alive recordings were mixed inwards 4-channel quadraphonic sound as well as released inwards the CBS SQ matrix system. The SQ encoding permits all four channels to live contained inwards a 2 channel stereo version, which is compatible with conventional stereo playback equipment.
Some releases of this album require maintain been marked every bit "Quad" or "SQ" as well as to a greater extent than or less are not. However, all known releases of this album role the same SQ encoded 2 channel recordings. Therefore the four independent channels tin withal live heard on modern equipment provided that the listener has a proper SQ decoder as well as four channel playback system.
Long held every bit a talisman past times Santana fans, who had to purchase it every bit a triple-LP Japanese import before Columbia finally issued it on CD inwards 1991, Lotus is a alive album that finds Carlos Santana as well as his octet (a.k.a. the New Santana Band) at a nexus betwixt rock, Latin music, jazz fusion, as well as spiritually driven communiqués to the gods. Some of the early on hits are performed, such every bit "Black Magic Woman" as well as "Oye Como Va," but long, intense instrumentals are the monastic enjoin of the day, every bit on the breathtaking "Incident at Neshabur," "Every Step of the Way," as well as "Toussaint L'Overture."
Lotus was recorded during the see of Santana's jazz-rock period. But whereas Caravanserai as well as 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; as well as the beat department has loosened upwardly to the betoken were they tin switch from groove to groove effortlessly. Leon Thomas contributes a few vocals ("Black Magic Woman" as well as his trademark yodelling on "Mr. Udo") but the music is nigh alone instrumental.
The long fusion jams -- "Every Step of the Way", "Toussaint L'Overture" as well as an absolutely bonkers "Incident at Neshabur" -- are definitely high points of this concert. But you lot can't overlook the xxx infinitesimal medley that closes disc 1 either. The exactly existent weak location is Mike Shrieve's long drum solo "Kyoto" (hey, this was the 70s). If a audio halfway betwixt Caravanserai as well as Miles Davis's acid funk albums Agharta/Pangaea sounds exciting, you lot must hear this.
Many complaints require maintain 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, as well as pathetic audio quality.
To get 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 require maintain a beef with this album's length don't similar jazz to get with, as well as wish that Carlos operate on within the bounds of his slow 60's as well as slow 90's hitting making 3 infinitesimal vocal machine. The greatness of Lotus is its mightiness to require maintain all of Carlos' beautiful melodies as well as 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 as well as melodic construction that was used to limited inwards a 2nd what tin never been repeated. Unlike before Santana albums, Carlos allows other musicians (i.e. fantabulous keyboards as well as Latin percussion) to limited beautiful melodies over a palette of amazing chord progressions as well as tight rhythms. In improver 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 zilch but the 2nd disk of material. Carlos' guitar tone on Lotus is perfect inwards its mightiness to limited cleanly when played gently as well as sack upwardly when played with corking passion.
Lotus is ane of the unmarried greatest achievement inwards guitar playing inwards damage of Santana's mightiness to harness as well as realize the melodic powers of the guitar. No other guitarist I require maintain heard (Jimi, Django, Allman, Clapton, Beck, as well as 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 lineament as well as mix, I believe it to live ane of the best alive album ever made. This album is non meant to audio up-front similar a studio album or require maintain lots of crowd dissonance similar alive albums made inwards the slow 70's till today have. Lotus is meant to audio endless as well as reflect with corking warmth. The mic positioning, engineering, as well as mixing is top notch. Every musical instrument is balanced as well as every subtlety is audible as well as clear. If you lot require maintain never tried to mix a alive album, you lot would never know how difficult it is to accomplish the grade of warmth as well as tonal lineament Lotus produces.
Lotus is nigh the top of recorded music of all time. Many years after "Smooth" is forgotten, time to come generations as well as historians volition await upon Lotus every bit ane of the most of import achievements inwards modern music history.
Lotus is a dream come upwardly true. H5N1 recording of 2 Santana concerts inwards Osaka, Nippon inwards back upwardly of Caravanserai, it blends songs from the group's then-current (mid-70s) jazzy menstruation with sometime favorites, as well as is dished out past times both the "New Santana Band" of the fourth dimension as well as the "Old Santana Band." Yes, a alive Santana CD with Michael Shrieve, Chepito Areas, as well as Armando Peraza (New) all on percussion! Tom Coster remains most prominent with his Hammond organ, but Lotus besides features Richard Kermode (New) on keyboards. In substance, exactly ane vocal from Caravanserai is included, a corking version of "Every Step of the Way," but Welcome is represented past times "Samba de Sausalito" as well as the pretty "Yours Is the Light." Coster bedazzles on the rockers from the start 3 albums every bit good every bit Airto's Brazilian jazz "Xibaba," ane of the best moments inwards hence many corking ones. There is a 16-minute, unforgettable version of "Incident at Neshabur," with an extended, lovely coda--What to a greater extent than could you lot enquire for? Carlos's superpowered guitar is mesmerizing, always; the entire atmosphere is otherworldly, dark, beautiful, modern jazzy (there is besides a nod to Chick Corea), as well as most of all, electrifying. Early Santana as well as Lotus rule.
When "Lotus" was originally released every bit a vinyl Japanese-only import (1974), it was ane of the most prized items with collectors. The packaging...nowhere nigh every bit of import every bit the music itself...was a mind-blowing event of invention as well as inventiveness with several fold-out posters as well as the sleeve that housed the 3 discs inside. That's ane of the things that delayed the liberate of "Lotus" on CD for hence many years...shrinking all of that wonder downwards into a 4.75" x 4.75" plastic box. They DID it...maybe non every bit spectacularly every bit the master copy 12 x 12 release...but it was magnificent packaging for what is basically Carlos Santana's "A Love Supreme." Seriously...if you lot similar the popular stuff, to a greater extent than mightiness to you. There's enough of skilful stuff there. But this was the top of Santana's spiritual / fusion era. In 1973 he added "Devadip" to his name, which meant "the lite of the light of the Supreme." That lite burns brightly across "Lotus," specially on CD 2 (where most of the extended numbers reside, including the xv infinitesimal "Incident at Neshabur"). As Santana fans know, in that location are "several unlike Santanas." This was the MILES Santana, the COLTRANE Santana. This is scary as well as amazing music played with hence much mind-numbing passion that you lot require maintain to wonder why in that location are people who don't "get" Santana. Get Lotus, as well as strap yourself inwards for ane 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 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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