Welcome (Santana album)
Welcome | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 9, 1973 | |||
Recorded | April to June 1973 | |||
Genre | Jazz fusion | |||
Length | 50:39 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Carlos Santana, Mike Shrieve, Tom Coster | |||
Santana chronology | ||||
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Welcome is the fifth studio album by
In 2003, the album was re-released with a bonus track, "Mantra", described by AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek as "a killer improv tune with a ferocious bass solo by Rauch and insane drumming by Shrieve."[1]
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+[3] |
Rolling Stone | (favorable)[4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
All About Jazz | [6] |
Writing for Rolling Stone, Robert Palmer called Welcome "the most rhythmically satisfying rock recording since Professor Longhair's," and noted that the rhythm section is "at its loosest and best." He commented: "There may not be another 'Black Magic Woman' here, but there is enough of the old Latin fire to satisfy the fans, as well as a promising expansion of sources and resources."[4]
Critic Robert Christgau stated that the album "proves that a communion of multipercussive rock and transcendentalist jazz can move the unenlightened--me, for instance. Good themes, good playing, good beat, and let us not forget good singing."[3]
In a review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek wrote: "Welcome is a jazz record with rock elements, not a rock record that flirted with jazz and Latin musical forms... Welcome was... ahead of its time as a musical journey and is one of the more enduring recordings the band ever made. This is a record that pushes the envelope even today and is one of the most inspired recordings in the voluminous Santana oeuvre."[2]
Jeff Winbush of All About Jazz described the album as "the summit of Santana's jazz fusion era," and remarked: "The secret weapon is Michael Shrieve's energetic drumming and the dual keyboard attack of Coster and Kermode. They push and pull Santana to go beyond and stop holding back."[6]
Track listing
Side one
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | " | 4:11 | ||
2. | "Love, Devotion & Surrender" | Carlos Santana | Santana, Richard Kermode | 3:38 |
3. | "Samba de Sausalito" | Instrumental | José Areas | 3:11 |
4. | "When I Look into Your Eyes" | Michael Shrieve | Shrieve, Tom Coster | 5:52 |
5. | "Yours Is the Light" | Shrieve | Kermode | 5:47 |
Side two
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Mother Africa" | Instrumental | Herbie Mann; arr. by Coster, Santana | 5:55 |
7. | "Light of Life" | Santana | Santana, Kermode, Coster | 3:52 |
8. | "Flame - Sky" | Instrumental | Doug Rauch, Santana, John McLaughlin | 11:33 |
9. | "Welcome" | Instrumental | John Coltrane | 6:35 |
2003 remastered CD edition bonus track
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
10. | "Mantra" | Santana, Shrieve, Coster | 6:11 |
2023 Remastered Japanese SACD edition with both stereo and quadraphonic mixes
No bonus tracks
Personnel
Band members
- percussion (1,7), vocals(2), producer
- (6), percussion (3), strings arrangements (7), producer
- Richard Kermode – Hammond organ (1,3,8), mellotron (1), electric piano (2,4-7,9), acoustic piano (5), marimba (4), shekere (4,6), percussion (3)
- Douglas Rauch – bass guitar (1-5,7-9)
- Michael Shrieve – drums (1,2,4-8), producer
- congas (3), timbales(2,3,6,7)
- bongos (4), cabasa(5)
- Leon Thomas – lead vocals (2, 4, 7), whistling (5)
Additional musicians
- Alice Coltrane – piano (1, 9), organ and Farfisa organ (1) Arrangement (1, 7)
- Wendy Haas – vocals (2, 4)
- Flora Purim – lead vocals (5)
- John McLaughlin – guitar (8)
- Joe Farrell – solo flute (4)
- Bob Yance – flute (4, 5)
- Mel Martin – flute (4, 5)
- Douglas Rodriguez – rhythm guitar (4)
- Tony Smith – drums (3)
- Jules Broussard – soprano saxophone (6)
- Greg Adams – strings arrangements (7)
Production
- Glen Kolotkin - engineer
- Bob Irwin - 2003 CD reissue producer
Charts
Chart (1973–1974) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] | 19 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[9] | 9 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] | 24 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] | 29 |
Italian Albums ( Musica e Dischi)[12]
|
4 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[13] | 11 |
UK Albums (OCC)[14] | 8 |
US Billboard 200[15] | 25 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[16] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[18] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Jurek, Thom. "Santana: Welcome [Bonus Track]". AllMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom (2011). "Welcome - Santana | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ^ ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ a b Palmer, Bob (January 3, 1974). "Album Reviews: Santana - Welcome". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 5, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ^ "Santana: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Winbush, Jeff (August 4, 2012). "Santana: Welcome". All About Jazz. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ "The True Story of "Goin' Home" - from Bohemia to Boston".
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Santana – Welcome" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4969a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- Musica e Dischi(in Italian). Retrieved June 6, 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Santana".
- ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Santana Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Santana – Welcome". Music Canada.
- ^ "British album certifications – Santana – Welcome". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "American album certifications – Santana – Welcome". Recording Industry Association of America.