Abraxas by Santana

Abraxas, Santana's second album, hit the racks on Columbia on September 23, 1970, and it became the San Francisco band's first to climb all the way to the top of the Billboard 200. Their set at Woodstock in 1969 had put them on the map, and here the classic lineup really cooks: Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana singing and stinging up front, Gregg Rolie on organ and lead vocals, David Brown on bass, Michael Shrieve on drums, and José "Chepito" Areas and Michael Carabello on percussion, churning like a street party that won't quit. Santana himself is credited as producer.

It's Latin rock with blues in its bones and psychedelia in its head, drifting toward jazz whenever a groove opens up. "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" slinks and smolders, "Oye Como Va" rolls along on its hypnotic strut, and the instrumental "Samba Pa Ti" lets the guitar do all the talking, slow and sweet.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.