Santana is an American rock band, formed in 1966 by American guitarist Carlos Santana, which has performed for five decades.
The group's first concert tours were North America, with performances in Europe, where they performed at small and medium-size venues and rock festivals. Following a lineup change in early 1972, they toured the world from 1972 to 1973. During this tour, the band performed at arenas and theaters, while doing several concerts in South America, one of the first tours of the continent by a major American rock act. After a North American tour in 1974, the last remaining members of the group from their famous lineup, Michael Shrieve and José Areas, quit the group, and the band underwent multiple lineup changes during the following years. In the 1970s to the 1980s, the band played at arenas, but mostly theaters and seldom music festivals.
In the 1990s, the group lost their recording contract, but they continued to tour extensively throughout the decade, mostly playing at theaters and amphitheaters. However, the band ended the decade with the Supernatural Tour, a vehicle for their popular 1999 album Supernatural. The 177–date tour was a success with audiences and critics, and the group continued to perform within the 2000s. In the third quarter of 2010, Carlos Santana proposed to drummer Cindy Blackman after her solo on the song "Corazón Espinado", and she became an official member of the band in 2016. The group continues to tour the world to this day.
1967–68 performances (1967–1968)
Santana, then known as the Santana Blues Band, performed in 1967 and 1968 in many line-ups throughout the West Coast of the United States.
History In January 1967, Carlos Santana was offered a slot by Bill Graham as an opener for an upcoming show at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium after Graham was impressed with Santana's performance with Paul Butterfield at the same venue in late January. In February 1967, his group, the Santana Blues Band, was officially formed when guitarist Tom Fraser invited Carlos Santana to jam with his friend Gregg Rolie, after seeing Santana play with Butterfield at the Fillmore. The band's first performance was on March 1, 1967, at The Ark club located inside a converted ferry boat in Sausalito, California. At the second show on March 17 at the Winchester Cathedral in Redwood City, California, the band was paid $75 for their performance, and allegedly, future drummer Michael Shrieve was in the audience at that show.
After a hiatus due to Santana being treated for tuberculosis, the group opened for the Who at the Fillmore on June 16 and 17, 1967, but the band was blacklisted from performing at the venue due to players Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez and Danny Haro showing up late for the gig on the 17th. In July, manager Stan Marcum made Santana remove Rodriguez and Haro from the band, and Haro was replaced by Bob Wehr for one performance at the Grant & Green jazz bar, where David Brown was asked to join after the performance. In November 1967, the band changed their name to Santana.
Live releases Live material from these performances has appeared on the following:
Songs from the band's shows from December 19 to 22, 1968 were released on the 1997 live album Live at the Fillmore 1968. A performance from 1968 was released as The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 in 2007.
Tour band Gregg Rolie – lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano Carlos Santana – lead guitar, percussion, vocals Tom Fraser – rhythm guitar (through August 1967) Sergio "Gus" Rodriguez – bass guitar (through July 1967) David Brown – bass guitar (beginning July 1967) Danny Haro – drums (through July 1967) Bob Wehr – drums (in July 1967) Rod Harper – drums (from July to November 1967) Bob "Doc" Livingston – drums (beginning November 1967) Michael Carabello – congas, percussion (to July 1967) Marcus Malone – congas, percussion (beginning July 1967)
Set list The group's set list usually consisted of covers of Latin music and blues songs, such as Willie Bobo's "Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries" and Chico Hamilton's "Conquistadore Rides Again." The set list of the live album Live at the Fillmore 1968 consists of the following:
"Jingo" (Babatunde Olatunji) "Persuasion" (Gregg Rolie) "Treat" (Carlos Santana, Rolie, David Brown) "Chunk a Funk" (Santana, Rolie) "Fried Neckbones and Some Homefries" (Willie Bobo, Melvin Lastie) "Conquistadore Rides Again" (Chico Hamilton) "Soul Sacrifice" (Santana, Rolie, Marcus Malone, Brown) "As the Years Go Passing By" (Deadric Malone) "Freeway" (Santana, Rolie)
Performance dates +List of tour dates with date, city, country, venueDateCityCountryVenueMarch 1, 1967SausalitoUnited StatesMarch 17, 1967Redwood CityWinchester CathedralMarch 30, 1967San FranciscoCalifornia HallMarch 31, 1967June 16, 1967Fillmore AuditoriumJune 17, 1967June 23, 1967Folsom Street & 7th StreetJuly 28, 1967San CarlosCarlmont YMCANovember 10, 1967San Francisco55 Colton StreetNovember 17, 1967November 18, 1967November 19, 1967November 24, 196755 Colton StreetNovember 29, 1967FresnoFresno State AmphitheaterDecember 1, 1967San FranciscoStraight TheaterDecember 2, 1967December 3, 1967December 26, 1967January 18, 1968January 19, 1968January 20, 1968January 26, 1968SausalitoJanuary 27, 1968January 30, 1968San FranciscoStraight TheaterJanuary 31, 1968February 1, 1968March 1, 1968March 2, 1968March 20, 1968Avalon BallroomApril 4, 1968Los Altos HillsFoothill CollegeApril 12, 1968San FranciscoStraight TheaterApril 13, 1968April 19, 1968Carousel BallroomApril 20, 1968April 21, 1968May 7, 1968Straight TheaterMay 8, 1968May 9, 1968May 10, 1968May 11, 1968May 17, 1968Avalon BallroomMay 18, 1968May 19, 1968May 24, 1968San JoseBalconades BallroomMay 25, 1968May 28, 1968San FranciscoAvalon BallroomJune 16, 1968Fillmore AuditoriumJune 20, 1968South Lake TahoeJune 21, 1968June 22, 1968June 28, 1968San FranciscoAvalon BallroomJune 29, 1968June 30, 1968July 20, 1968WintersLake Berryessa BowlJuly 26, 1968SacramentoJuly 27, 1968July 28, 1968StanfordLaurence Frost AmphitheaterJuly 30, 1968San FranciscoFillmore WestJuly 31, 1968August 1, 1968August 9, 1968Avalon BallroomAugust 10, 1968August 11, 1968August 27, 1968Fillmore WestAugust 28, 1968August 29, 1968August 30, 1968Palace of Fine ArtsSeptember 2, 1968SultanSeptember 12, 1968San FranciscoFillmore WestSeptember 13, 1968September 14, 1968September 21, 1968San JoseSanta Clara County FairgroundsSeptember 25, 1968San FranciscoFillmore WestOctober 6, 1968BerkeleyProvo ParkOctober 18, 1968OaklandSt. Elizabeth High SchoolOctober 31, 1968San FranciscoFillmore WestNovember 1, 1968November 2, 1968November 3, 1968FresnoSelland ArenaNovember 13, 1968San FranciscoNovember 21, 1968Los AltosLos Altos High School GymNovember 22, 1968MoragaCampolindo High SchoolDecember 1, 1968Los Altos HillsFoothill CollegeDecember 19, 1968San FranciscoFillmore WestDecember 20, 1968December 21, 1968December 22, 1968December 26, 1968Daly CityCow PalaceDecember 28, 1968SacramentoDecember 30, 1968FresnoRainbow BallroomDecember 31, 1968San FranciscoWinterland Ballroom
Notes
Santana Tour (1969–1970)
The Santana Tour was the first concert tour by the American rock band Santana, promoting their self-titled debut album.
History 1969 marked the first year Santana entered the mainstream, thanks to the group's appearance at the Woodstock festival, where drummer Michael Shrieve, aged 20, was one of the youngest musicians to play at the festival, and the success of their self-titled debut album. They performed nearly non-stop in the United States during that year, appearing at several large music festivals such as the Texas International Pop Festival and the Altamont Speedway Free Festival. During that year, the group's lineup was finalized, Carlos Santana on guitar, percussion, and vocals, David Brown on bass guitar, Gregg Rolie on Hammond organ and lead vocals, Michael Carabello on congas, José Areas on timbales, congas, and trumpet, and Shrieve on drums. In 1970, the group toured Europe (as well as playing at the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music) and they played in Canada for the first time.
Live releases Live material from this tour has appeared on a number of different releases:
The group's set at the Woodstock festival on August 16, 1969, has appeared on the following releases: The group's entire set was released on the 2008 box set The Woodstock Experience. The group's whole set at the festival (minus "Evil Ways") was released on the 2004 Legacy Edition of Santana. "Savor", "Soul Sacrifice", and "Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries" was released on the 1998 reissue of Santana. "Persuasion" and "Soul Sacrifice" was released on the 1988 compilation album Viva Santana!. "Soul Sacrifice" saw release on the 1988 video Viva Santana! An Intimate Conversation With Carlos Santana. Additionally, the same song was released on the 1995 box set Dance of the Rainbow Serpent, the 1970 live album Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More, and the 1970 film Woodstock. "Incident at Neshabur", "Soul Sacrifice", and "A Super Jam!" (with the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane) from the show on February 4, 1970, was released on the 2005 video A Night at the Family Dog. Plus, "Incident at Neshabur" was released on the video Viva Santana! An Intimate Conversation With Carlos Santana. The band's performance in London on April 18, 1970, has appeared on the following releases: "Se a Cabo", "Toussaint L'Overture", "Black Magic Woman", and "Gypsy Queen" were released on the 1998 remastered edition of Abraxas. "Gumbo" and "Soul Sacrifice" were released on the 2001 video Legends of Rock: Live in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall. "Gumbo", "Savor", and "Jin-go-lo-ba" from the band's performance at the Kralingen Music Festival in the Netherlands was released on the 1971 film Stamping Ground and the live album of the same name.
Tour band Gregg Rolie – lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano, percussion Carlos Santana – guitar, percussion, backing vocals David Brown – bass guitar Bob "Doc" Livingston – drums (through March 15, 1969) Johnny Rae – drums (from March 21, 1969, to April 5, 1969) Michael Shrieve – drums (beginning April 1969) Marcus Malone – congas, percussion (through January 17, 1969) Michael Carabello – congas, percussion (beginning February 11, 1969) José Areas – timbales, congas, percussion, trumpet (beginning May 3, 1969)
Typical set lists
January 1969–April 1970: North American tour Known as the Santana Blues Band up around March 1969, the band performed extensively during this tour, playing at mostly high schools, colleges, clubs, small music venues, fairgrounds, and large rock festivals such as Woodstock throughout. The tour began at January 10, 1969, at The TNT in Olympic Valley, California and ended on April 12, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City. A typical set list from 1969 was as follows (all songs written by the members of Santana unless specified otherwise).
"Waiting" (Carlos Santana) "Evil Ways" (Clarence "Sonny" Henry) "Savor" "Treat" "You Just Don't Care" "Jin-go-lo-ba" (Babatunde Olatunji) "Persuasion" "Soul Sacrifice" (Santana, Gregg Rolie, David Brown, Marcus Malone)
A typical set list from 1970 (all songs written by the members of Santana unless specified otherwise) was as follows (actual set list taken from the first or second show on April 12):
"Se Acabó" (José Areas) "Black Magic Woman" (Peter Green) "Gypsy Queen" (Gábor Szabó) "Savor" "Jin-go-lo-ba" (Olatunji) "Oye Como Va" (Tito Puente) "Hope You're Feeling Better" (Rolie) "Toussaint L'Overture" "Evil Ways" (Henry) "Persuasion" "Soul Sacrifice" (Santana, Rolie, Brown, Malone) "Treat"
April 1970: One show in England