SANTANA Live In Bangkok 2011

[webfact]

SANTANA Live in Bangkok 2011

Tuesday March 1

Carlos Santana, File photo

Wikipedia.org

Santana was born in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, Mexico. His father was a mariachi violinist, and Carlos learned to play the violin at age five and the guitar at age eight. His younger brother, Jorge Santana, would also become a professional guitarist.

Young Carlos was heavily influenced by Ritchie Valens at a time when there were very few Latinos in American rock and pop music. The family moved from Autlán de Navarro to Tijuana, the city on Mexico's border with California, and then San Francisco. Carlos stayed in Tijuana but joined his family in San Francisco later and graduated from James Lick Middle School and Mission High School there. He graduated from Mission High in 1965.

Javier Bátiz, a famous guitarist from Tijuana, said to have been Carlos's guitar teacher who taught him to play a different style of guitar soloing. After learning Batiz's techniques, Santana would make them his own as well. [more...]

Concert & Ticket Information: Thaiticketmajor.com

-- Thaiticketmajor 2011-01-01

[Buchholz]

The greatest Mexican guitarist playing his greatest instrumentalist song... in Mexico...

and this version from an astounding 40 years ago...

Edited January 1, 2011 by Buchholz

[craigt3365]

I've got tickets to see him in Vegas on the 5th. Can't wait....

[elshaheen]

I've seen him once before at a festival in Northern California. Very gifted man, though he’s stoned off his ass when he plays. Reminds me of The Sorcerer's Apprentice from Fantasia or Pied Piper of Hamelin when Carlos gets up on stage. At the beginning he starts to cast his spell over the audience – like making love to a woman -. When he’s finished, the audience can go back home and sleep.

The other website: pro-endeavors. Seems to have posted all that info including upcoming events like 2 weeks ago.

Here’s from their website:

Don’t forget Korean pop group: Super junior the weekend after next, Deftones, Feb. 15, Eric Clapton Wed, Feb 16, Eagles, Feb 20, Santana March 1, and next weekend, and Slash on March 10th

Prices for the major bands are:

7,500 Baht (Gold Package)

6,500 Baht

5,500 Baht

3,000 Baht

2,000 Baht

[markus]

Just a general question:

Where I can find the concerts taking place in Thailand some month before when I am planning a trip to Thailand?

Regards

Markus

[HerbalEd]

I've seen him once before at a festival in Northern California. Very gifted man, though he's stoned off his ass when he plays. Reminds me of The Sorcerer's Apprentice from Fantasia or Pied Piper of Hamelin when Carlos gets up on stage. At the beginning he starts to cast his spell over the audience – like making love to a woman -. When he's finished, the audience can go back home and sleep.

I totally agree .... although I'd say it a bit differently: Very gifted man BECAUSE he's stoned off his ass when he plays." I'll definitely be there to see him play here in BKK.

[elshaheen]

Just a general question:

Where I can find the concerts taking place in Thailand some month before when I am planning a trip to Thailand?

Regards

Markus

The guy who runs the other site knows someone at Ticketmaster who handles upcoming events, say a year in advance and passes on that information if it is something an expat would be interested.

You can go to Thaiticketmajor.com and browse their listings for I think 6 months out of the year.

[Spee]

I've got tickets to see him in Vegas on the 5th. Can't wait....

I envy you. He is my all time favorite musician.

http://www.santana.com/tour/

[craigt3365]

I've got tickets to see him in Vegas on the 5th. Can't wait....

I envy you. He is my all time favorite musician.

http://www.santana.com/tour/

The Tickets are only $55 each. 4000 capacity, intimate theater, great acoustics. Love it compared to Impact...including the prices!!!

[Spee]

I've got tickets to see him in Vegas on the 5th. Can't wait....

I envy you. He is my all time favorite musician.

http://www.santana.com/tour/

The Tickets are only $55 each. 4000 capacity, intimate theater, great acoustics. Love it compared to Impact...including the prices!!!

How was it? Any special guests?

[craigt3365]

I've got tickets to see him in Vegas on the 5th. Can't wait....

I envy you. He is my all time favorite musician.

http://www.santana.com/tour/

The Tickets are only $55 each. 4000 capacity, intimate theater, great acoustics. Love it compared to Impact...including the prices!!!

How was it? Any special guests?

I have to say I was disappointed, but wifey loved it. It was billed like this:

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

I am an avid Santana fan, have every album, but have to admit I've not really focused on his "latest" albums. I like his old hits. So...was very disappointed when only 3-4 "old" hits were played during the show. Many of the songs I've never heard before.

He has 2 main vocalists. One is black and one is hispanic. Great singers, but each did some songs that were either "salsa" types or "pop" types. Great music, great songs, great musicians...but not Santana. In fact, on a few of these, Santana just faded away in the background and let his group do the work.

This concert was at the Hard Rock...and many there were younger people. So I can only guess he was trying to play to them also? But for me, it's not what I was looking for. I wanted to hear the old hits! A trip through the hits would have been great.

But again...the musicians were fantastic. A great show...if that is what you are looking for.

[Spee]

I have to say I was disappointed, but wifey loved it. It was billed like this:

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

I am an avid Santana fan, have every album, but have to admit I've not really focused on his "latest" albums. I like his old hits. So...was very disappointed when only 3-4 "old" hits were played during the show. Many of the songs I've never heard before.

Thanks for the story. I would love to catch a Santana show while he is still touring. For me, he is simply "El Maestro."

I also have most of his albums, or at least compilation albums with all of his songs from the late 60s to present. He has gone through many phases, heavy rock and blues influenced rock, an early crack at radio pop rock in the 70's, newer latin & rock influences (eg, Spirits Dancing in the Flesh) and early blues duets (eg, The Healer w/John Lee Hooker) in the late 80's/early 90's, then the blockbuster pop/rock/hip-hop/blues/classical/new age collaborations with Supernatural, Shaman and All That I Am.

I still think Soul Sacrifice at Woodstock with Michael Schrieve's memorable drum solo is one of the most iconic pieces of video and live music in all of rock history. Hard to believe those guys were barely past 20 years old at the time.

He has released two all instrumental compilations which include many favorites, including Aqua Marine, Bella and Blues For Salvador. For the last three that launched him into mega-crossover stardom, I don't necessarily care for every song on every album, but each album has several lesser known but still fantastic tracks:

Supernatural: Africa Bamba, Corazon Espinado, Primavera

Shaman: Adouma, Aye-Aye-Aye, Hoy Es Adios, Novus (w/Placido Domingo) (interestingly, the last 3 songs on the album)

All That I Am: Brown Skin Girl, I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love, Da Tu Amour (also interestingly, the last 3 songs on the album)

[mike_rad]

At his best with "Moonflower" and the earlier "Welcome" which has him joining up with John McLaughlin on the track "Flame Sky", out of this world..

[mike_rad]

I have to say I was disappointed, but wifey loved it. It was billed like this:

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

I am an avid Santana fan, have every album, but have to admit I've not really focused on his "latest" albums. I like his old hits. So...was very disappointed when only 3-4 "old" hits were played during the show. Many of the songs I've never heard before.

He has 2 main vocalists. One is black and one is hispanic. Great singers, but each did some songs that were either "salsa" types or "pop" types. Great music, great songs, great musicians...but not Santana. In fact, on a few of these, Santana just faded away in the background and let his group do the work.

This concert was at the Hard Rock...and many there were younger people. So I can only guess he was trying to play to them also? But for me, it's not what I was looking for. I wanted to hear the old hits! A trip through the hits would have been great.

But again...the musicians were fantastic. A great show...if that is what you are looking for.

When was this?

[craigt3365]

I have to say I was disappointed, but wifey loved it. It was billed like this:

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

I am an avid Santana fan, have every album, but have to admit I've not really focused on his "latest" albums. I like his old hits. So...was very disappointed when only 3-4 "old" hits were played during the show. Many of the songs I've never heard before.

He has 2 main vocalists. One is black and one is hispanic. Great singers, but each did some songs that were either "salsa" types or "pop" types. Great music, great songs, great musicians...but not Santana. In fact, on a few of these, Santana just faded away in the background and let his group do the work.

This concert was at the Hard Rock...and many there were younger people. So I can only guess he was trying to play to them also? But for me, it's not what I was looking for. I wanted to hear the old hits! A trip through the hits would have been great.

But again...the musicians were fantastic. A great show...if that is what you are looking for.

When was this?

Early January of this year. At the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas.

[sabaijai]

Joining Santana onstage at Impact Arena next Tuesday will be guitarist Mason Ruffner, who wrote Santana's latest single, "Angel Love."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnZNxcQ4HgA

http://masonruffner.com/

[powderpuff]

I am a fan from the old days. The first album & Abraxas. Have to say that the mix on Supernatural is among the worst ever.

Direct to FM I would call it. On a big stereo it is simply godawful. Ditto Shaman. I asked Steve Hoffman on his blog if we would ever hear an audiophile master of Supernatural & he said he doubted it.

Clive Davis is a master but this decision by whomever .....

Santana is quoted as saying .... we were stoned out of our heads at Woodstock on LSD ..... then the producers came to us & said we had to go on earlier than planned. I pleaded with God & swore ... "If you will get me through this Lord I swear I will never use drugs again". So I dispute that he plays stoned. His overall physical condition does not seem so good. Kudos to him for staying with one woman for so long.

The stories he tells about sneaking into the Filmore West & being caught by Bill Graham are hilarious.

[andrewt]

Another concert by a veteran singer ? Where is Lady Gaga ? Where is Beyonce ?

Say no to Santana, Say no to Eric Clapton

[Digitalbanana]

Wrong market for new stuff, they'll still be playing cover versions of the oldies in Thai C&W bars until the end of time as we know it.

[sabaijai]

Maybe on Sukhumvit Rd, where there is only one C&W bar left as far as I know.

When Supernatural was released some of the new tunes saw heavy rotation in local dance clubs. There are lots of Thais into the new stuff.

Could it be more a case of old fogies who can't get into Santana's collaborations with younger musicians? Different strokes. It will be interesting to see what the attendance is. I'm guessing it will be close to sold out.

The latest album, Guitar Heaven, is full of oldies though, and no doubt he will be playing some of those (Sunshine of Your Love, etc).

Interview in today's Post:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/arts-and-culture/music/223051/latin-guitar-legend-lets-it-shine

[powderpuff]

Another concert by a veteran singer ? Where is Lady Gaga ? Where is Beyonce ?

Say no to Santana, Say no to Eric Clapton

When's Brittney Spears comin dude?

If gaga has 2% of the longevity of a Santana or a Clapton I'll eat my hat.

[Patsycat]

If he does this one, will you have a wee bop for Pats??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCguMx8OO7U

[mike_rad]

I have to say I was disappointed, but wifey loved it. It was billed like this:

Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

I am an avid Santana fan, have every album, but have to admit I've not really focused on his "latest" albums. I like his old hits. So...was very disappointed when only 3-4 "old" hits were played during the show. Many of the songs I've never heard before.

Well tonight's was a totally different concert then. Many old hits, Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Batuka, No-one to Depend On, Europa, Soul Sacrifice, and, totally unexpected, She's Not There, Evil Ways - and there's probably a couple I can't recall right now. Plus more recent ones like Smooth and Into the Light.

A great show, he played for nearly 3 hours. And the audience rocked on. The only complaint I have is about the slow bar service...

[mike_rad]

I'm guessing it will be close to sold out.

You guessed correctly.

no doubt he will be playing some of those (Sunshine of Your Love, etc)

Yep, he did that one, was great too.

Interview in today's Post:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/arts-and-culture/music/223051/latin-guitar-legend-lets-it-shine

Thanks for that.

there's probably a couple I can't recall right now

Jingo Lo Ba.

How the hell could I forget that one. Especially when I was thinking at the time it was probably the best arrangement I'd ever seen - the percussion guys, Raul Rekow and Karl Perazzo, were really cooking it up. Then again that's what they do:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40991

Now I just hope a dvd is realeased of this tour so I can see it again.

[brahmburgers]

I've also been a fan of his, since he charged on the scene in the mid-60's.

He was in to Sri Chimnoy then, is he still? (along with Mahavishnu John McClauphlin (sp?). When I resided in Wash D.C. in the late 1960's, I had a furniture moving job to the New Jersey shore opposite Manhattan. I remember looking over the Hudson river and seriously considering going over and finding Santana and introducing myself - he was early 20's, I was late teens at the time. I was a pretty adept bassist - so who knows what might have happened if I followed up with that impulse? I heard later that Jimi Hendrix was also in NYC at that time, and a buddy of mine (Nils Lofgren) was at a jam session at Reprise studios, and asked the bassist (from Apricot Brandy) if he could sit in to accompany Hendrix at that jam. The bassist said no. That might have changed rock and roll history, because Lofgren was/is a very talented musician, and might have gained notice by Hendrix, and who knows what could have come from that.

[mike_rad]

Just about to call it a day, but before I do,

I've also been a fan of his, since he charged on the scene in the mid-60's.

He was in to Sri Chimnoy then, is he still?

No, that only lasted a few years. To find out exactly when he no longer considered himself a disciple the clue is on the song credits. Where the song's composer is given as D.C. Santana then you know he was still into Sri Chinmoy. The "D" refers to Devadip, the Sanskrit name which Chinmoy gave him. IIRC he still called himself that on the Moonflower album but stopped soon after.

(along with Mahavishnu John McClauphlin (sp?)

McLaughlin. He was/is amazing and him with Santana on the album Love, Devotion, Surrender is great listening. Though I think the track Flame Sky on the Welcome album exceeds anything on Love, Devotion, Surrender. Flame Sky is simply out of this world - in a word, brilliant. McLaughlin doesn't make an appearance until after about six minutes into it, but when he does, oh boy!

There's an interesting interview of him by Aljazeera's Riz Khan here:

[sabaijai]

Jingo Lo Ba.

How the hell could I forget that one. Especially when I was thinking at the time it was probably the best arrangement I'd ever seen - the percussion guys, Raul Rekow and Karl Perazzo, were really cooking it up. Then again that's what they do:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40991

Now I just hope a dvd is realeased of this tour so I can see it again.

Excellent concert, Raul and Karl were indeed cooking. They're both being interviewed for Drummer World again tonight.

Nice to see Mason Ruffner sit in.

The name of the song is "Jingo Bop."

[mike_rad]

Excellent concert, Raul and Karl were indeed cooking. They're both being interviewed for Drummer World again tonight.

Nice to see Mason Ruffner sit in.

The name of the song is "Jingo Bop."

Mason Ruffner, what a bonus.

Actually, the name of the song is just "Jingo", but I'm used to calling it that.

[powderpuff]

Bangin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPK74JnJWLI&feature=related

[webfact]

Ageless Santana lights up the sky

By Paul Dorsey

The first stop on a tour will have its bumps, but you forgive Carlos anything when his guitar hits your heart

Carlos Santana, his blazing guitar lighting the high road for a powerful 10piece band, beamed into town on Tuesday night from his parallel universe, a place where no one ages, Woodstock is still going on, love dethrones dictators and Bangkok is somehow "clean".

It was a great two-hour show, though far from flawless. After an impeccable first leg of extremely tight, turn-on-a-dime arrangements and sinuous, compelling guitar work by Carlos, the engine very nearly came off the rails. This was the first stop on the Asia-Australia tour, and the band has a few issues to work out.

Try telling that to the fans in the near-sellout crowd at Impact Arena who were up dancing, many of them crammed into the centre aisle on the floor. When security tried to turn them back early on, Carlos said let 'em in. Toward the end he let them surge right up to the stage.

"So many beautiful ladies here - what the heck!" declared Santana, newly remarried in December. "I said to the band, you guys are really blessed!"

Then, "Ladies, this is for you", and the lucky guys swept into the sultry "Maria Maria" from "Supernatural", the Grammies' best rock album of 1996, as its steamy video was screened behind them.

I had a mysterious craving for enchiladas, then remembered that Carlos has a chain of Mexican restaurants in the US called Maria Maria.

Funny thing about the dancing. There weren't that many people on their feet to begin with. The show started with the pensive "Lord's Prayer" and "Yaleo", then built up momentum through a string of "Singing Winds Crying Beasts", the familiar thrill of "Black Magic Woman" and a lovely "Gypsy Queen".

Carlos was gradually asserting his authority, dipping into Hendrix's "Third Stone from the Sun" at one point, and leaning on the whammy bar. Even by "Oye Como Va", though, not everything was in place, plenty of flourishes but nothing sustained.

Then, somewhere in "Foo Foo" or "Corazon Espinado" came the shout "Stand up!" And instantly, most of the audience stood up, as though they'd been just simmering for the invitation.

It was indeed a Simon Says moment, followed by calls to "Jump!" (eagerly obeyed) and "Kiss your girlfriend, kiss your boyfriend!" (abject shyness there).

Certainly no one was sitting down for the ancient Santana track "Jingo", which was accompanied by videos of African tribes in jubilant celebration. The visuals and layered rhythms underscored Carlos' unwavering devotion to World Music, but the night still belonged to Latin rock.

The band members took turns being sensational, demonstrating why other top artists compete for their assistance.

On percussion, Karl Perazzo and Raul Rekow were kinetic and riveting. But drummer Dennis Chambers showed who was boss with a 10minute solo during which he had everyone laughing as he revealed how effortless it is to maintain a punishing bottom line with multiple cascades and fills while chewing gum, blowing bubbles, towelling off and having a nice drink of water.

Bassist Benny Rietveld, Dutch by birth, took over the next 10 minutes, filling the hall with full orchestration for four strings.

David K Mathews coaxed every available mood from piano, Hammond organ and synths in several remarkable solos through the evening, and thrusting in some tasty brass were trumpeter Bill Ortiz and trombonist Jeff Cressman.

Out front with terrific vocals and almost constantly in motion were Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay, who get full credit for stirring up the audience. But it was only when rhythm guitarist Tommy Anthony stepped up to sing the endlessly covered Zombies classic "She's Not There" that the crowd got a little berserk. Maybe they're all big fans of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" too - Anthony sang the film's closing theme.

For most spectators, you go into a Santana show knowing none of these guys, but everyone turns out to be a real somebody, and that was the message behind one of Carlos' pep talks on Tuesday. "If you remember anything significant tonight, remember this," he said at the end of "Love Supreme". "You are significant, you are meaningful, and you can make a difference in the world.

"There are two things in your DNA - light and love," he assured us, then got everyone repeating it (well, not everyone). "Light and love. Light and love. Light and love."

It used to feel all right when Bob Marley did stuff like this, but Marley never followed that with, "Okay, now just the women ... Now just the men."

When Santana plays from the heart, it's an entirely different spirit-lifting story.

"Europa" seems to have replaced "Samba Pa Ti" as the lilting guitar dream of choice lately. Set to a gentle shimmy, his playing was beautifully fluid, as ageless as he seems to be. The song could have done without another spoken address, this one namedropping Egypt and Libya and the Beatles, calling for compassion and "education".

"I want to see a world that's clean, like Bangkok," Carlos announced. There were a few audible gasps.

Santana's latest album is "Guitar Heaven", which is all covers of other people's classics. For Bangkok he played Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love", less than two weeks after Eric Clapton stood on the same stage and, sadly, did not play it. Carlos' version was both homage to and diversion from Clapton's style, but ill advised.

The next tune proved that he should probably stick to his own turf. "Smooth" was more of the commercial jettrash that wins Grammy Awards, but the swing is undeniable and the beat infectious. Everyone is Latino when this music is playing.

Santana was by now fully recovered from the nasty tumble the show took earlier when another guitarist came onstage for a couple of songs. He looked like he'd fallen out of a retrostylist's shop with a 1970s perm and the frozen stare of a deer in the headlights. He had mic trouble and didn't seem to catch his cues.

I wondered if it was some local player who'd won a contest to appear with Santana or something. But no, Mason Ruffner is a veteran showman from Texas who's performed with Bob Dylan, U2, Jimmy Page and Ringo Starr. And he wrote the song he played with Carlos, "Angel Love".

Ruffner eventually fired up some cracking lead guitar, with the emphasis on showman, but whether he wasn't quite ready for this tour or hadn't had a chance to rehearse yet, the segment was wholly out of control.

All was forgiven by the encore. The audience's enthusiastic clapping for more melded into the tin-pot-banging racket of the rain chant from Woodstock, broadcast on the big screens. Then there was Carlos, 22 years old, playing "Soul Sacrifice" in front of half a million people.

And then there was Carlos, 63, playing it again before our eyes, to the thunderous joy of his global tribe.

We have a winner So, who won BECTero's twoweek, three-way battle of the dinosaurs - Eric Clapton, the Eagles or Santana?

-- The Nation 2011-03-03