Santana - Into The Night (Single)


light487
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light487
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03/14/2008 8:38 am
Heyas

I can't let this one slip past without being mentioned.. I was in my local Big-W (Aussie version of Walmart) and I was trying to find something to buy my Mum for her birthday, when I saw this CD single. It was only $3.84 (which is about $2 USD) and it is Santana afterall.. so I thought, "Why not.." and grabbed it as well.

Well I must say that the first track "Into The Night" is rubbish in my opinion.. I never did like much of his stuff where he is playing accompaniment to someone else's songs, like on the Supernatural album he did a few years back. There were a couple of decent tracks that came from that album but for the most part, it's just pop music rubbish.

But then things start to get better as the CD moves through into the other 3 tracks on the CD. Of Particular note are tracks 3 and 4. Wonderful instrumental track done in traditional Santana-style but also very fresh and new sounding. Track 3 "Curacion (Sunlight On Water)" is my favourite because I can hear all the various influences he has had over the years coming out in the track. First there is Mark Knophfler (or however you spell his name), then a David Gilmour influence, then it goes into pure Santana.. later into the track there is a distinctive Richie Blackmoore influence.. it's really nice stuff.. a warm, samba beat drives the whole thing along in typical Santana style.

Track 4 is equally deserving of praise but Track 3 is the best on there for sure. Whenever I listen to Track 3, I always think of Kevin Taylor.. it sounds very similar to some of the stuff I have heard from Kevin and I'm sure he would get a kick out of hearing it...

Here's a link to a sample of the tracks on the single but of course they are very short samples at a very low quality of recording just for promotional/advertising purposes obviously.. but I would definitely recommend shelling out the $2.00 for this CD or possible less if it download just Tracks 3 and 4 from a MP3 or itunes site where you can pay per track.

http://www.play4me.com.au/product/into_the_night_1590154_654116.html
light487
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# 1
andrewjreid
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andrewjreid
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03/23/2008 8:06 pm
im actually going to a santana concert in maryland on the 6th i have 3rd row center stage tickets :) and your right ive heard the song "into the night" it isn't very good. Some of the guitar parts if you listen to them are pretty good but the song as a whole kinda sucks. hopefully he wont play it at the concert.
I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes.
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# 2
Silimtao
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Silimtao
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04/05/2008 4:51 am
Santana used to be my favorite guitarist- such a beautiful tone. But I've seen him many times live over the last 20 years and have been disappointed. Last time I saw him, Los Lonely Boys opened for him. I really didn't know LLB except for "Heaven", which was that year's hit song , but the lead guitarist, Henry Garza blew Santana off the stage. Quite honestly, I think I could have blown Santana off the stage. I went with another guitar player who wasn't into Santana, but after years of hearing me sing his praises, he agreed to go along with me. He couldn't understand why I was so into Santana; understandably so, given the performance. Makes me really sad to see one of my guitar heroes become so redundant.

It's hard to believe hearing a Knopfler influence. Knopfler is another one of my guitar heroes also- I think the Sultans of Swing solo will stand as one of the greatest rock solos of all time. I really can't see anyone influencing Santana; Santana is just Santana to me, but he's definitely not at the top of his game anymore.

Thanks for turning me on to Santana's latest- but I'll be prepared to be disappointed yet again.
Silimtao-The Way of the Little Idea

I want to die peacefully like my grandfather. Unlike the other passengers in the car, screaming and crying. (unknown)
# 3
light487
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light487
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04/05/2008 5:36 am
Originally Posted by: SilimtaoThanks for turning me on to Santana's latest- but I'll be prepared to be disappointed yet again.


Oh definitely have to agree on the disappointment factor with Santana.. he's one of those guitarists that stays within his little box/category and doesn't venture out far from it and when he does, he doesn't stay out there for very long. He hasn't really evolved a great deal in the last 20 to 30 years, as have some others such as Steve Morse for example... but then the same could be said about David Gilmour.. just that his "box" is a little bigger than Santana's. This is not to say that Santana is unimaginative.. far from it.. just that it seems easier to say "if you've heard one Santana song, you've heard them all" than any other guitarist I can think of off the top of my head. :)
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# 4
Silimtao
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Silimtao
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04/05/2008 6:27 pm
Originally Posted by: andrewjreidim actually going to a santana concert in maryland on the 6th i have 3rd row center stage tickets :) and your right ive heard the song "into the night" it isn't very good. Some of the guitar parts if you listen to them are pretty good but the song as a whole kinda sucks. hopefully he wont play it at the concert.

For your sake, I hope he's not stoned. When I saw him last, he barely played, and let the rhythm section just kinda take over. Then, in his encore, when the lead player from LLB came out to jam to a Tex-Mex kinda southern rock thing, Santana just couldn't keep up. Santana literally just started to bang on his guitar. I couldn't believe it. I was thinking, WTF! Is he stoned? Lost his mind?

Still, I love his tone, and even when he's backing a pop singer, I still get off on that distinctive sound of his. He's still rehashing his old licks, and it's rare that I hear him play anything new...but his tone...so sweet.

I have on cassete a live concert by Santana from about 30 yrs ago- he went off on something like a 20 min solo that was simply amazing. Every note was spot-on with what was going on in the background, and he interwove melodies from things like something from the movie Mary Poppins...My Favorite Things, I think it was. He was just being playful. Sadly, I've never seen him do anything like that live. The concert I saw him at prior to the last was about 15 yrs. ago, and he just played everything straight right off his albums. I got so fed up, I walked out. But then, as I was leaving, I was hearing amazing licks, and the concert was ramped up, so I stuck around and watched from outside the fence (this was an outdoor concert.) It wasn't Santana blowing the roof off, it was Skunk Baxter from the Doobie Bros. that was blowing the roof off! Baxter was out-Santanaing Santana! I was both blown away and saddened. I don't know if Santana is on drugs or not, but over the yrs, I feel like I've watched the decline of a legend.

I'm happy for him for his commercial success because I don't think he ever got his due as a guitarist. He was how old at Woodstock? 21, 22? I understand he got something like $30 million on the record sales of the Smooth album. All the power to him. But I think it will be a long time before I shell out any money to see him live again. Hope your experience is better. How about you post a review of the concert?
Silimtao-The Way of the Little Idea

I want to die peacefully like my grandfather. Unlike the other passengers in the car, screaming and crying. (unknown)
# 5
light487
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light487
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04/05/2008 7:04 pm
Originally Posted by: SilimtaoFor your sake, I hope he's not stoned. When I saw him last, he barely played, and let the rhythm section just kinda take over.

I have on cassette a live concert by Santana from about 30 yrs ago- he went off on something like a 20 min solo that was simply amazing. Every note was spot-on with what was going on in the background, and he interwove melodies from things like something from the movie Mary Poppins...My Favorite Things, I think it was. He was just being playful. Sadly, I've never seen him do anything like that live.


Well I heard him in an interview recently commenting on his lack of soloing in live concert situations. Australian journalists don't beat around the bush, I know because I was one for 4 years :p. According to Santana, the reason he doesn't "go off" at concerts is because he wants to deliver a balanced performance to his entire audience, both male and female alike. He has the idea in his head that the guys in the audience want to hear him playing these long, sexy guitar solos but the girls in the audience just want to have something to dance along too. While I can see his point, I have to agree that his performances have tended to be very balanced and sit on the "female audience" side of the fence more. Anyway.. may be this comment will shed a little light on his reasoning behind what he is doing...
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# 6
Silimtao
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Silimtao
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04/05/2008 7:20 pm
Well, judging from his last concert I mentioned, it seemed he was still just cashing in on the "Smooth" wave. Well, I guess he was giving what the audience what they wanted at the time- dance music. Of course he did Black Magic Woman, but it just seemed like he was going through the motions. Maybe, just maybe, I'll go see him again someday.

Hey, assuming you're online- I wonder if you've gone back to the phrygian post. I think I had an "AHA!" moment. I'm curious what Christopher has to say, and of course, your comments are welcome as well.

Well, I think it's time I did something a bit more constructive today. Catch you on the boards later!
Silimtao-The Way of the Little Idea

I want to die peacefully like my grandfather. Unlike the other passengers in the car, screaming and crying. (unknown)
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Fenderalltheway
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Fenderalltheway
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04/13/2008 5:16 am
I love Santana and over the years he has done some great collaborations, but I just don't llike Chad Kroeger in general.
"When you want to rock hard children, lean of F#."
# 8
Silimtao
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Silimtao
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04/14/2008 2:52 am
Originally Posted by: FenderallthewayI love Santana and over the years he has done some great collaborations, but I just don't llike Chad Kroeger in general.

I don't even know who Kroeger is, lol. To say I'm a bit out of the little loop with who's who in the contemporary music scene is an understatement. :confused:

The music I listen to is now played on "classic rock" stations! :eek:
Silimtao-The Way of the Little Idea

I want to die peacefully like my grandfather. Unlike the other passengers in the car, screaming and crying. (unknown)
# 9

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