Blues for Salvador

Personnel: Carlos Santana, Chester Thompson, Alfonso Johnson, Graham Lear, Aramando Peraza, Raul Rekow, Orestes Vilato, Buddy Miles, Sterling, Greg Walker, Alexander Ligertwood, David Margen, Alan Pasqua, Chris Solberg, Patrick Ahern, Tony Williams. Producers: Carlos Santana, Chester Thompson, Keith Olsen. Engineers include: Jim Gaines, Maureen Droney, Jim Scott. BLUES FOR SALVADOR, while not generally hailed among Santana's classics, happens to contain some of Carlos Santana's most riveting guitar playing of the '80s. "'Trane" is a fast-driving rock tribute to the late jazz giant John Coltrane. The unstoppable hands and feet at the drum kit belong to none other than Tony Williams, who pushes the brief guitar jam to the brink of explosion. Also offered is an alternate version of the brisk, simple, and sunny jaunt "Hannibal." Featuring some of Carlos's fastest and most fiery playing on the album, the tune fades out with a sudden, seemingly tongue-in-cheek jazz swing section. Nothing on BLUES FOR SALVADOR quite compares, however, to the power of the title track. Dedicated to Carlos's son, the piece is unusual in that the guitarist is accompanied only by keyboardist Chester Thompson, and that it lacks the strict rhythms that are such a Santana hallmark. This second point seems to free up Carlos to ebb and flow between quiet musingss and furious waves of raw blues runs that crest with thrilling crescendos.