The excitement was real when the original Santana band announced they were getting back together. The band even reunited last month for their first performance since 1973 at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, NV. Now, coming 45 years after Santana III, Santana IV is here to stream.
Scheduled for release on April 15, Santana IV will reunite virtuoso guitar player Carlos Santana with bandmates from his classic 1971 lineup. The recording, which features Gregg Rolie (keyboards, lead vocals), Neal Schon (guitar, vocals), Michael Carabello (percussion) and Michael Shrieve (drums) will be the first time in 41 years that this five-piece has come together. The album also receives contributions from percussionist Karl Perazzo, bassist Benny Rietveld and vocalist Ronald Isley.
The record has “16 spellbinding tracks that combined all their signature elements – Afro-Latin rhythms, soaring vocals, electrifying blues-psychedelic guitar solos, and irrepressibly jubilant percussion work – with widescreen hooks and melodies that will lodge themselves in the thicket of listeners’ senses and stay there.” Santana added his thoughts about the LP sessions, saying: “It was magical. We didn’t have to try to force the vibe – it was immense. From there, we then needed to come up with a balance of songs and jams that people would immediately identify as Santana.”
Santana IV stays true to the pioneer sounds of complex Afro-Cuban rhythms while challenging the modern approaches to rock and jazz. You can stream the magic today, via NPR Music:
Santana IV Tracklist
1. Yambu
2. Shake It
3. Anywhere You Want To Go
4. Fillmore East
5. Love Makes The World Go Round (Feat: Ronald Isley)
6. Freedom In Your Mind (Feat: Ronald Isley)
7. Choo Choo
8. All Aboard
9. Suenos
10. Caminando
11. Blues Magic
12. Echizo
13. Leave Me Alone
14. You And I
15. Come as You Are
16. Forgiveness