This week’s Jazz On The Beach features Santana’s sensational version of Joe Zawinul’s In A Silent Way, that was performed on the closing night of Bill Graham’s Fillmore West in San Francisco on July 4th 1971. The line up is the original Woodstock era one of guitarist Carlos Santana, pianist/organist/vocalist Gregg Rollie, bassist David Brown, drummer Michael Shrieve and percussionists José ‘Chepito’ Areas and Mike Carabello, plus the 16 year old guitarist Neal Schon and percussionist Coke Escovedo. It’s also this week’s jazz rock fusion milestone, giving Miles Davis’ jazz rock genesis an irresistible latin hard rock edge, and setting the scene for Carlos Santana’s deeper dive into jazz fusion and spirituality.
In A Silent Way was released on the triple LP multi artist set Fillmore: The Last Days (Fillmore/Columbia, 1972) and also included in the companion documentary film Fillmore that was eventually released on DVD as Fillmore: The Last Days in 2009. Here it is:
Also on this week’s playlist are two more compositions recorded by Santana on their second album Abraxas (Columbia, 1970) - vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson’s version of Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va from Montara (Blue Note, 1975) and guitarist Gábor Szabó’s Gypsy Queen from Spellbinder (Impulse! 1966). Szabó was a big influence on Carlos Santana who talks about him here:
We’re light on new releases this week, but Kiefer Trio’s live version of Cute from Something for Real (Stones Throw, May 10th) by keyboardist Kiefer Shackleford, bassist Pera Krstajic and drummer Luke Titus is a live and extended update of the 2019 solo version from Bridges. There’s also a third selection from guitarist Lee Ritenour and pianist Dave Grusin’s excellent Brasil (Candid, May 31st) and this time it’s Jobim’s Stone Flower that also features guitarist Chico Pinheiro.
Among the tenor giants on the playlist there’s Sonny Rollins with Moritat from Saxophone Colossus (Prestige, 1957), John Coltrane with the mighty title track from Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1960), Azar Lawrence with the spiritual samba Novo Ano from Summer Solstice (Prestige, 1975) and Hank Mobley opening the playlist with the hard boppin’ Uh Huh from Workout (Blue Note, 1962).
And finally, there’s guitarist Joe Beck’s Red Eye from the album Beck (Kudu, 1975) that featured alto saxophonist David Sanborn and was later reissued as Beck & Sanborn. The beautiful artwork is by Abdul Mati Klarwein who also painted Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew and Live Evil as well as Santana’s previously mentioned Abraxas.
Here’s the complete playlist, just click the link below:
Blues Beach
This week seems like the appropriate time for Blues Beach to revisit a Psychedelic Blues Special playlist from a couple of years ago. All of these artists performed at the Fillmore West, so here’s Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company with Big Mama Thornton’s Ball And Chain, The Doors with Willie Dixon’s (for Howlin’ Wolf) Back Door Man, Cream with Blind Joe Reynold’s Outside Woman Blues, The Grateful Dead with Sonny Boy Williamson’s Good Morning Little Schoolgirl as well as Muddy Waters’ I Just Want To Make Love To You and Howlin’ Wolf’s Spoonful recorded with members of Rotary Connection featuring much fuzz and wah wah mayhem.
Listen Live
You can listen live to Jazz On The Beach every Wednesday evening from 10.00pm - midnight* and to Blues Beach every other Thursday from 6.00pm - 7.00pm* on DealRadio.co.uk or via the TuneIn Radio app. (*UK time)
Or you can ask your smart device to ‘Play Deal Radio’.
Both shows are broadcast live from the Deal Radio Studio at 69a High Street, Deal, Kent CT14 6EH, a stone’s throw from the beach.
Jazz On the Beach and Blues Beach radio shows are sponsored by our good friends at 6 Park Avenue Coffeehouse & Bar, Deal and Wellingtons Coffeehouse & Bistro, Dover.
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