Santana - 1995 "Dance Of The Rainbow Serpent" [3 CD Box]

Dance of the Rainbow Serpent is a 1995 three CD box set by Santana. Unless noted, all tracks are studio recordings. The cover art was done by Michael Rios.

This 34-track collection captures all sides of the man, from his dazzling early recordings ( Black Magic Woman; Oye Como Va; Soul Sacrifice from Woodstock) through collaborations with John Lee Hooker and Vernon Reid (unreleased!), to his interpretations of such hallowed jazz fare as In a Silent Way and Naima . He's a guitar legend; here's why.

Guitarist Carlos Santana continues to record music, but when contemplating his body of work, it's difficult not to telescope to the "vintage" 1969-1975 period, from first albums Santana and Abraxas through to Lotus. Dance of the Rainbow Serpent offers a well-rounded, three-disc overview of his career, but its the sultry Latin rhythms and stinging guitar of the early years -- captured on disc one, subtitled Heart -- that prove most invigorating. The obvious hits like "Evil Ways" and "Black Magic Woman" are all included of course, although these are scorched by the speedy pyrotechnics of the likes of "Toussaint Overture" from Lotus. The second disc, mistitled Soul, covers material that is, to be kind, bland and overproduced. Without the Latin edge, there's nothing to distinguish the contents from a hundred other MOR performers. Third disc Spirit is more diverse and satisfying; delving into the funkier examples of his later work, plus sessions with John Lee Hooker (including hit "The Healer") and previously unreleased material (including a workout with Living Color's Vernon Reid). In all, plenty here to chew on for fans of Santana's fluid, spiritual style -- with one of three discs left to gather.

"Every Now And Then" was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Track listing:

Disc 1 - Heart

    "Evil Ways" - 3:58
    "Soul Sacrifice" (Live at the Woodstock Festival, Bethel, New York, Saturday, August 16, 1969) - 8:50
    "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" - 5:17
    "Oye Como Va" - 4:18
    "Samba Pa Ti" - 4:45
    "Everybody's Everything" - 3:31
    "Song of the Wind" - 6:10
    "Toussaint l'Overture" - 7:33
    "In a Silent Way" - 7:54
    "Waves Within" - 3:54
    "Flame - Sky" - 11:31
    "Naima" - 3:12

Disc 2 - Soul

    "I Love You Much Too Much" - 4:45
    "Blues for Salvador" - 5:57
    "Aqua Marine" - 5:38
    "Bella" - 4:30
    "The River" - 4:52
    "I'll Be Waiting" - 5:20
    "Love Is You" - 4:00
    "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)" - 5:05
    "Move On" - 4:27
    "Somewhere in Heaven" - 3:26
    "Open Invitation" - 4:46

Disc 3 - Spirit

    "All I Ever Wanted" - 4:02
    "Hannibal" - 4:29
    "Brightest Star" - 4:51
    "Wings of Grace" - 5:27
    "Se Eni a Fe l'Amo-Kere Kere" - 9:14
    "Mudbone" - 5:52
    "The Healer" (with John Lee Hooker) - 5:38
    "Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)" (with John Lee Hooker) - 4:46
    "Sweet Black Cherry Pie" (with Larry Graham) - 3:00
    "Every Now and Then" (with Vernon Reid) - 5:06
    "This Is This" (with Weather Report) - 7:09

Personnel:

Backing Vocals – Linda Tillery (tracks: 1-6), The Waters Family: Julia, Maxine And Orin* (tracks: 2-5)
Bass – Alphonso Johnson (tracks: 2-2, 2-4), Benny Rietveld (tracks: 2-10, 3-7, 3-9, 3-10), Bobby Vega (tracks: 3-5), David Brown (5) (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-9, 2-8), David Margen (tracks: 2-1, 2-3, 2-9, 2-11 to 3-3), Doug Rauch (tracks: 1-7, 1-8, 1-10, 1-11), Keith Ferguson (tracks: 3-6), Pablo Tellez (tracks: 2-5, 2-6), Victor Bailey (tracks: 3-11)
Congas – Michael Carabello (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-9), Mingo Lewis (tracks: 1-7, 1-10), Mino Cinelu (tracks: 3-11), Raul Rekow (tracks: 2-1, 2-3, 2-4, 2-7, 2-9, 3-2, 3-7)
Congas, Bongos – Armando Peraza (tracks: 1-8, 1-11, 2-1, 2-3, 2-4, 2-7 to 2-9, 3-1, 3-2, 3-8, 3-9)
Djembe [Djembe Drum] – Dundiata Keita* (tracks: 3-8)
Djembe [Djembe Drum], Drums [Log Drum] – Babafunmi Ohene (tracks: 3-8)
Drums – Fran Christina (tracks: 3-6), Gaylord Birch (tracks: 2-5, 3-7), Graham Lear (tracks: 2-1, 2-3, 2-4, 2-6, 2-9, 2-11 to 3-3), Ndugu Chancler* (tracks: 2-8, 3-8), Michael Shrieve (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11), Peter Erskine (tracks: 3-11), Walfredo Reyes* (tracks: 2-10, 3-9, 3-10)
Drums [Ngoma Drums] – Babatunde Olatunji (tracks: 3-8)
Guitar – Alfred C. Redwine (tracks: 3-5), Joseph Bruce Langhorne* (tracks: 3-5), Carlos Santana, Chris Solberg (tracks: 2-11 to 3-2), Doug Rauch (tracks: 1-10), Douglas Rodrigues* (tracks: 1-10), Jimmie Vaughan (tracks: 3-6), John McLaughlin (tracks: 1-11, 1-12), Neal Schon (tracks: 1-6, 1-7, 1-9), Vernon Reid (tracks: 3-10)
Harmonica – Kim Wilson (tracks: 3-6)
Horns [Horn Section] – Tower Of Power* (tracks: 1-6)
Keyboards – Alan Pasqua (tracks: 2-3, 3-1, 3-2), Barry Beckett (tracks: 3-6), Booker T. Jones (tracks: 3-6), Chester Thompson (2) (tracks: 2-2, 2-4, 2-7, 2-10, 3-4, 3-7 to 3-11), Chris Rhyne (tracks: 2-9, 2-11), Joe Zawinul (tracks: 3-11), Richard Baker (tracks: 2-1, 3-3), Richard Kermode (tracks: 1-8, 1-11), Sterling Crew (tracks: 2-4), Tom Coster (tracks: 1-8, 1-11, 2-5, 2-6, 2-8)
Keyboards, Vocals – Gregg Rolie (tracks: 1-1 to 1-7, 1-9, 1-10), Leon Patillo (tracks: 2-5)
Percussion – Airto Moreira (tracks: 3-8)
Saxophone – Wayne Shorter (tracks: 3-11)
Timbales – Jose "Chepito" Areas* (tracks: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-8 to 1-10, 3-8), Karl Perazzo (tracks: 3-7), Orestes Vilato (tracks: 2-1, 2-4, 2-7, 3-2), Pete Escovedo (tracks: 2-9)
Vocals – Alex Ligertwood (tracks: 2-10, 3-1, 3-3), Babatunde Olatunji (tracks: 3-5), Greg Walker (tracks: 2-6, 2-9, 2-11), John Lee Hooker (tracks: 3-8, 3-9), Larry Graham (tracks: 3-9), Leon Thomas (tracks: 1-8)