Santana - 1972 [1990] "Caravanserai"

Caravanserai is the fourth studio album by Santana, released on October 11, 1972. It marked a major turning point in Carlos Santana's career as it was a sharp departure from his critically acclaimed first three albums. Original bass guitarist David Brown left the group in 1971 and was replaced by Doug Rauch and Tom Rutley, while Armando Peraza replaced original percussionist Michael Carabello after his departure. During this period, Santana's relationship with longtime keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie rapidly deteriorated; consequently, keyboardist Tom Coster performed on one song before replacing Rolie shortly after the album's release. Caravanserai reached number eight in the Billboard 200 chart and number six in the R&B Albums chart in 1972.

Then there are Arabian flourishes that may conjure images of a lone desert scape with a camel making its way across arid sandy mirages.
We hear the desert scape with nature’s sounds in Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation, and then the low hum of the sun’s rays with fluttering flute, until the chimes glisten over cooling down the heat, with swells of keyboard echoes. All the Love in the Universe is a spiritual journey that moves inexorably to a climax, along a bass pulse, finally breaking into a song and then an insane instrumental break with Carlos lead and Gregg Rolie’s Hammond battling for supremacy.

The music flows along organically in the first half with not too many breaks from one track to the next and encapsulates the power of desert ambience. It is a soulful, at times moving journey, and always completely challenging musically. Santana never returned to this style again so it remains a solitude wilderness album, a desert island album literally pulsating with energy. When the guitar is to be heard it comes in a flurry of power at the hands of mighty Carlos such as on Stone Flower, with Rolie’s Hammond shimmers and vocals that echo in the distance.

La Fuente Del Ritmo continues the quest to find the oasis, the water of life, with chaotic piano and cymbal splashes, and the congas and bongos are never far around the corner. The groove locks into frenetic tempo as the lightning fast hands on the congas attack. Carlos’ lead work is exceptional, enigmatic over the arousing African beats. The improvisatory piano runs are competing against the manic tom toms, and then the Hammond blasts return like rain falling into the oasis.

It all leads ultimately to a 9 minute extravaganza ‘Every Step Of The Way’, opening with gentle percussion, with Hammond answers, and the threat of a cascading guitar phrase. As far as jazz fusion goes this really hits the target. Santana take their time getting to the meat, and taking great pains to build up to a crescendo.

This is a tense experience at times, and at three minutes it finally breaks into a downpour of grooving bass and drums as lead guitar swoops like a hungry vulture. Once the vulture is airborn everything melts into the sunshine of the soundscape. The sound of a bird twittering floats overhead and then flutters down into swathes of keyboards and a wonderful brass sound that builds to a climax.

“Caravanserai” is sheer musical poetry and one of Santana’s triumphs; certainly one of their most famous albums and will continue to challenge and move listeners for decades to come; a timeless treasure.

The sound contrasted greatly with Santana's trademark fusion of salsa, rock, and jazz, and concentrated mostly on jazz-like instrumental passages. All but three tracks were instrumentals, and consequently the album yielded no hit singles. The album is the first among a series of Santana albums that were known for their increasing musical complexity, marking a move away from the popular rock format of the early Santana albums toward a more contemplative and experimental jazz sound. While Caravanserai is regarded as an artistic success, the musical changes that began on its release in 1972 marked the start of a slide in Santana's commercial popularity. This album was mixed and released in both stereo and quadraphonic.

The largely instrumental Caravanserai, from 1972, is the first album from the guitarist after he dissolved his band from the popular albums Santana, Abraxas and Santana III, and he wasn’t looking back. Joining up with keyboardist Tom Coster, Santana was seeking the outer reaches of the soul with songs like “Just in Time to See the Sun” and “All the Love of the Universe.” The album mixes rock, jazz and salsa with tracks such as “Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation,” “Stone Flower” and “La Fuente del Ritmo,” but you can tell that Santana is itching to stretch out and stay there for a while.

Caravanserai was released in 1972 and is a brilliant album. You probably have to like jazz-rock to fully appreciate its charms. It contains many beautiful instrumental tracks that are melodic and accessible. The band had been listening to the music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Santana's drummer, Mike Shrieve, claimed that he and Carlos Santana had grown tired of "rock and roll" and wanted to experiment with jazz. Unlike some jazz-rock groups, the band is tight and the solos fit the music perfectly. There is no self-indulgent jazz noodling on this album.

The guitar playing from both Carlos Santana and Neal Schon is lyrical and beautiful. This is a great guitar album. All but three of the ten tracks are instrumentals. There are three keyboardists: Rolie, Tom Coster, and Wendy Haas (formerly of Fanny). Two bass players: Tom Rutley and Doug Rauch. The Latin rhythm section is amazing: Jose Chepito Areas; James Mingo Lewis, and Mike Shrieve on drums. This really was a band of master musicians. This was probably one of the most musically accomplished bands in rock history.

It was the last Santana album to feature Rolie and guitarist Neal Schon, who went on to co-found Journey the following year.

Tracks Listing:

01. Eternal Caravan of Reincarnation (4:28)
02. Waves Within (3:53)
03. Look Up (To See What's Coming Down) (2:59)
04. Just In Time To See The Sun (2:19)
05. Song of the Wind (6:02)
06. All the Love of the Universe (7:36)
07. Future Primitive (4:12)
08. Stone Flower (6:14)
09. La Fuente del Ritmo (4:33)
10. Every Step of the Way (9:04)

Total Time: 51:20

Personnel:

- Carlos Santana / lead guitar, percussion, vocals (6), co-producer
- Neal Schon / guitar (1,3-6,8-10)
- Doug Rauch / guitar (2,3), bass (2-6)
- Gregg Rolie / organ, piano (6)
- Tom Rutley / acoustic bass (1,6,8-10)
- Michael Shrieve / drums, co-producer
- Jose 'Chepito' Areas / timbales, congas (7), bongos (8)
- James Mingo Lewis / percussion, congas (2,4-10), bongos (7), piano (9), vocals (6)
- Armando Peraza / percussion, bongos (9)

With:
- Rico Reyes / vocals (6)
- Douglas Rodrigues / guitar (2)
- Wendy Haas / piano (1,8)
- Tom Coster / electric piano (9)
- Lenny White / castanets (6)
- Tom Harrel / orchestral arrangements (10)