Santana — Tanglewood, 1970

On 18 August 1970, Santana set Tanglewood ablaze in Lenox, Massachusetts, as part of Bill Graham’s « Fillmore at Tanglewood » series. This filmed live concert catches the band at a pivotal moment: « Black Magic Woman » was a hit and the second album, Abraxas, was about to be released. On a bill featuring The Voices of East Harlem and an electric-era Miles Davis, Santana delivered an extended set where San Francisco’s Latin rock meets blues, modal jazz and incandescent Afro-Cuban percussion. Carlos Santana unfurls his singing guitar lines while Gregg Rolie (organ, vocals) and the triple percussion of Michael Shrieve, José « Chepito » Areas and Michael Carabello weave rhythmic trances. A precious live archive of one of the most influential rock groups of the late 1960s, this historic capture documents the energy of a period full concert and the sound that would durably define Latin rock. It remains essential viewing for anyone exploring the roots of the genre.