March 2, 2012

Link

A new instrumental solo album from Carlos Santana titled Shape Shifter will hit stores on May 15.

The guitar legend tells Billboard that the collection is one of several recording projects he's planning to put out in the not-too-distant future.

Describing Shape Shifter as "the personal album," Santana adds, "It's for people who love 'Caravanseri,' 'Europa,' 'Samba Pa Ti' -- the instrumentals. A lot of people miss hearing the Mexican just playing his guitar. That's a language that's better than Swahili or English or Spanish. I haven't done one in a long time."

The guitarist reveals that some of the song titles on the album are "Shape Shifter," "Nomad," "Dom" and "Never the Same Again."

As for the other projects, the guitarist reports, "One album will be a Santana band album. The other one is for my family, my new wife, [Cindy Blackman], and my brother Jorge." I'll bring together my whole family, my new family, to do music in honor of the sacredness of the family."

[Edited 4/10/12 7:20am]

ABOUT FUCKING TIME WE GOT TO HEAR THE ORIGINAL SANTANA AGAIN!!! I, for one, am sick of all these duet albums he has done over recent years!! "Supernatural" was one thing and I could tolerate that, but, all the others?? COME ON!!! :socked:

the title santana chose, 'shape shifter' is quite unique. i will imagine that the album is going to be unbelievable in sound.

i've seen santana live multi-times. however his best performance imo is at amphi-theaters. when the sun sets and the stars appear it's like the man is connected to the stars in sound. his performances are electrifying. watching and listening to santana and his band at night is beyond words to describe.

imo mr. carlos santana is truly one of the greats via his guitar skills and music fusion abilities. i luv the man.

i'm in total anticipation of the album realease. me and my money will be at the recka stowe in my area to make the purchase.

Could I be any more excited for this new album of instrumentals?

The month of May won't get here soon enuff.

his superstar days (99-04) are long gone, for the better, time to write some tasty good music, even if it's completely instrumental; I was tired of those crappy duets; Supernatural was an amazing album, but Shaman and All That I Am, ugh...and that dreadful covers album...

JoeTyler said:

his superstar days (99-04) are long gone, for the better, time to write some tasty good music, even if it's completely instrumental; I was tired of those crappy duets; Supernatural was an amazing album, but Shaman and All That I Am, ugh...and that dreadful covers album...

I love Santana, but that covers album...

And if I never have to hear Michelle Branch on a Santana album again, I'll die a happy person.

Now this sounds like something I can get with!

An instrumental in the tradition of Caravanserai!

No more of this duet nonsense.

PurpleSpirit319 said:

ABOUT FUCKING TIME WE GOT TO HEAR THE ORIGINAL SANTANA AGAIN!!! I, for one, am sick of all these duet albums he has done over recent years!! "Supernatural" was one thing and I could tolerate that, but, all the others?? COME ON!!! :socked:

I agree! I'm sick of these "Carlos Santana and Friends" albums,in which Clive Davis pairs him with all these guest artists.I want a REAL Santana album,with just him and his band!!

SoulAlive said:

PurpleSpirit319 said:

ABOUT FUCKING TIME WE GOT TO HEAR THE ORIGINAL SANTANA AGAIN!!! I, for one, am sick of all these duet albums he has done over recent years!! "Supernatural" was one thing and I could tolerate that, but, all the others?? COME ON!!! :socked:

I agree! I'm sick of these "Carlos Santana and Friends" albums,in which Clive Davis pairs him with all these guest artists.I want a REAL Santana album,with just him and his band!!

Santana Announces Complete Details About Upcoming Instrumental Album, Shape Shifter
March 27, 2012

Link

Official details have been revealed about Santana's upcoming instrumental album, Shape Shifter, which is scheduled to hit stores on May 15.

The 13-track collection, which will be released on band leader Carlos Santana's new Starfaith Records label, features material that the revered guitarist has amassed since the late 1990s.

Carlos has dedicated Shape Shifter to Native Americans. Referencing recent official apologies to the native peoples of Australia and the U.S., he says, "I encourage any and all countries (that have not as yet done so) to acknowledge the first people of their land, and make this a collective global effort."

Among the noteworthy songs on the album are "Mr. Szabo" -- an homage to Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo, who composed the Santana classic "Gypsy Queen" -- and "Eres la Luz," the only tune featuring vocals, which are provided by Santana singers Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay. Closing out Shape Shifter are "Canela" and "Ah, Sweet Dancer," two songs that include guest appearances from Carlos' son, pianist Salvador Santana.

Shape Shifter will be available as a CD, a vinyl LP and a digital download. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.com, iTunes, Santana.com and other online retailers.

babynoz said:

SoulAlive said:

I agree! I'm sick of these "Carlos Santana and Friends" albums,in which Clive Davis pairs him with all these guest artists.I want a REAL Santana album,with just him and his band!!

Make room!

Press release:

Shape Shifter is Carlos Santana's 36th album and is a 13-song instrumental tour de force featuring tracks spanning from the late 1990’s to the present and comprises mostly original compositions that have been stashed away for such an instrumental project.

With each track selected and sequenced by Carlos, Shape Shifter is a journey through soaring Santana leads and driving beats to the beautifully crafted melodies that have made Santana a household name.

Consistent throughout the project is the world-class musicianship of the Santana Band members, who bring vitality and heart to every note. Band members include Benny Rietveld, Dennis Chambers, Raul Rekow, Karl Perazzo, Tony Lindsay, Andy Vargas along with Chester Thompson and special guest Salvador Santana.

Carlos dedicated the album to Native American Indians. He says, “I encourage any and all countries (that have not as yet done so) to acknowledge the first people of their land, and make this a collective global effort.”



Track Listing:

''Shape Shifter''
''Dom''
''Nomad''
''Metatron''
''Angelica Faith''
''Never The Same Again''
''In The Light of a New Day''
''Spark of the Divine''
''Macumba in Budapest''
''Mr. Szabo''
''Eres La Luz''
''Canela''
''Ah, Sweet Dancer''

Oops,I forgot about this thread Gonna request that my own thread gets closed.

LOS ANGELES, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Shape Shifter is Carlos Santana's 36th album, and the first for his new label, Starfaith Records. Set for release May 15, the 13-song set is an instrumental tour de force featuring tracks spanning from the late 1990's to the present. It's powered throughout by Carlos' instantly recognizable virtuoso lead guitar and the Santana Band's world-class musicianship (only one song features vocals from Santana's lead vocalists Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay). Pre-sale of Shape Shifter begins today, March 27, at all major online outlets including iTunes, Amazon and more. Starfaith Records is distributed and marketed in conjunction with RED Distribution.

Carlos dedicated the album to Native American Indians, acknowledging Australia's 2008 apology to the Aborigines, and President Obama's signing of the 2009 Native American Apology Resolution. He says, "I encourage any and all countries (that have not as yet done so) to acknowledge the first people of their land, and make this a collective global effort."

Shape Shifter comprises mostly original compositions that Carlos has been stashing away for such an instrumental project-long awaited by fans-and he conceived the album's sequence as thoughtfully as its track selection. The songs flow together as the magical sustain of Carlos' guitar-and the spirit behind every note-makes music that breaks through all cultural and language barriers, the music of Santana.

The title track opens the album, beginning as a mellow acoustic groove, with Carlos channeling Native American spirits through chanting. The track builds to soaring heights-in addition to Carlos' driving lead, the song features Dennis Chambers on drums, Chester Thompson on keyboards, and Benny Rietveld on bass (they are the musical foundation on many of the tracks).

Other highlights include a mid-tempo cover of Toure Kunda's "Dom" -Carlos and the Toure brothers' collaborations have also included "Africa Bamba" from the GRAMMY-winning album, Supernatural. "Angelica Faith," which Carlos co-wrote with Thompson, is a signature Santana ballad in the tradition of "Samba Pa Ti" and "Europa." With "Mr. Szabo," Carlos pays homage to Gabor Szabo, whose music he brought to the fore in 1970, when he fused the Hungarian jazz guitarist and composer's "Gypsy Queen" with Peter Green's "Black Magic Woman" on Abraxas.

Collaborations include "Never the Same Again," which Carlos wrote with producer Eric Bazilian, and "In the Light of a New Day," which began as a demo that Narada Michael Walden shared with Carlos. "Spark of the Divine"-often played on tour to introduce songs including "Black Magic Woman"-leads in to "Macumba in Budapest," the first of two songs Carlos co-wrote and produced with Walter Afanasieff-the song vamps into a classic Santana Latin jam featuring Raul Rekow on congas and Karl Perazzo on percussion. The second, "Eres La Luz," the only track featuring vocals, highlights the irresistible Latin groove that embodies the world music essence of Santana.

Shape Shifter closes with two songs that are collaborations between Carlos and his son, musician Salvador Santana-who plays piano on both-including the rousing "Canela." The final track, "Ah, Sweet Dancer," is a song Carlos first heard in a taxicab in Germany-he tracked it down in a local record store and began performing it regularly on tour. The recording features only soulful solos from father and son, offering elegant closure to Shape Shifter.

Awesome news. Can't wait for this one.

Empress said:

Awesome news. Can't wait for this one.

it seems like he's getting back to his roots.And the best thing is,no guest stars!

SoulAlive said:

Empress said:

Awesome news. Can't wait for this one.

it seems like he's getting back to his roots.And the best thing is,no guest stars!

I feel the same way. As I was reading the players involved, I was glad that I didn't recognize most of the names.

My anticipation is running high for this album. The title track is blazing hot!

With 'Shape Shifter' and the other albums that he has planned,this may be the beginning of a very exciting time for Santana and his fans It looks like he is finally done with those bloated,commercial pop albums with all the guest stars.He just started his own label,so that's a good sign.He won't have Clive Davis to tell him what to do anymore.

free2bfreeda said:

the title santana chose, 'shape shifter' is quite unique. i will imagine that the album is going to be unbelievable in sound.

i've seen santana live multi-times. however his best performance imo is at amphi-theaters. when the sun sets and the stars appear it's like the man is connected to the stars in sound. his performances are electrifying. watching and listening to santana and his band at night is beyond words to describe.

imo mr. carlos santana is truly one of the greats via his guitar skills and music fusion abilities. i luv the man.

i'm in total anticipation of the album realease. me and my money will be at the recka stowe in my area to make the purchase.

I have also seen Santana in concert many times,but my favorite performance was in 1995 at an amphitheatre.You are correct,Carlos does his most amazing shows in an outdoor setting.It's as if the moon and the stars inspire him to really give his all.What was cool about this particular show was...it was years before "Supernatural" so Carlos really experimented and didn't rely on alot of hits.He did a stunning 3-hour show and at one point,he told the crowd "Relax...we have plenty of time...I'll get to those songs in the final hour" (I guess a fan in the front was requesting/yelling for the familiar hits like "Oye Como Va" and "Evil Ways",lol).This show was like a spiritual experience.

Thanks for bumping this, I can't wait to hear it.

Peep the live rendition of the title track.

Finally!

purplethunder3121 said:

Finally!

i feel yah! i just finished listening to the 'shapeshifter' track. now i'm going to listen to it live. i might be back post an edit to comment on the live version of the composition.

free2bfreeda said:

purplethunder3121 said:

Finally!

i feel yah! i just finished listening to the 'shapeshifter' track. now i'm going to listen to it live. i might be back post an edit to comment on the live version of the composition.

i listen to the live version and omg, i can hardly wait to see him and band live. hopefully he does a tour this summer and my area will be on the schedule.

the live version is magnetic. the melodies really seem to reachinto my heart and soul strings. i like the feeling. also the unison on the stage between the band members is outstanding.

free2bfreeda said:

free2bfreeda said:

i feel yah! i just finished listening to the 'shapeshifter' track. now i'm going to listen to it live. i might be back post an edit to comment on the live version of the composition.

i listen to the live version and omg, i can hardly wait to see him and band live. hopefully he does a tour this summer and my area will be on the schedule.

the live version is magnetic. the melodies really seem to reachinto my heart and soul strings. i like the feeling. also the unison on the stage between the band members is outstanding.

That would be sweet to see him perform live again with this band. I haven't seen Santana in many years and that was before Supernatural was even conceived.