Description
In 1975, Santana accompanied Eric Clapton on his US tour as a special guest, making a huge impact on the big stage. This newly discovered, upgraded soundboard master captures that performance, following the release of their unconventional album “Boroboletta” the previous year. This release features a soundboard recording of their Charlotte concert on June 20, 1975. Recently, a large number of previously unreleased soundboard masters of Santana have been unearthed by the prestigious label “JEMS,” but the source of these is the collection left behind by a core collector from the West Coast who passed away a few years ago. From this collection, one after another, superb soundboard masters have been discovered. A considerable number of Santana recordings have been unearthed, but the focus of these discoveries has been almost exclusively on “1974.” In contrast, this release is the first in the series to be from “1975,” making it different in significance. To explain this, let’s first take a look at an overview of their activities at that time. 1974 – January 14: Ithaca performance (May release of ‘LOTUS’ / July release of ‘GREATEST HITS’) – July 13 – October 28: North America #1 (62 performances) ← *MILWAUKEE 1974 etc. (October release of ‘BORBOLETTA’) – November 16: Honolulu performance – November 23 – December 14: Japan (16 performances) 1975 – March 23 – April 27: North America #2 (20 performances) – May 23 – July 12: North America #3 (29 performances) ← ★HERE★ – August 3 – September 1: North America #4 (13 performances) – September 5 – October 13: Europe (39 performances) – November 14 – December 7: North America #5 (6 performances) – December 31: Daily City performance This is the first 1975 soundboard in the newly unearthed series, featuring Santana from 1974/1975. Previous soundboard recordings in the posthumous collection series, such as “MILWAUKEE 1974 SOUNDBOARD,” focused on “North America #1” from 1974. In contrast, this Charlotte performance was the 13th show of “North America #3,” after the release of “BORBOLETTA.” Furthermore, part of “North America #3-4” (June 14th to August 17th) was dedicated to opening acts for Eric Clapton’s US tour. Carlos also made guest appearances during Clapton’s encores at many of those shows, with “Eyesight To The Blind,” which will be discussed later, being a staple. This Charlotte performance was indeed one of those nights featuring both of them. Now, this Charlotte performance has long been known for having a soundboard recording. However, the previous masters were of a quality that was “just good enough to listen to.” The details are rounded everywhere, muffled and muddy, and on top of that, there’s an unsettling, fizzing noise that periodically intensifies and weakens. The sound is like a double whammy of dubbing marks and age-related deterioration, and you can barely glimpse the brilliance of the content. However, this newly discovered master is completely different. All the shortcomings I just mentioned have completely disappeared. Although the exact number of dubbings hasn’t been confirmed, it’s a high-fidelity master released as “Very Low Gen SB,” and the upgrade is so significant that it’s practically “like a completely different thing.” While it doesn’t have the raw, direct-to-mix-table feel familiar from the遺品 (inherited items) series that you’d expect from official releases, it’s incomparably clearer than the previous master. The contours are sharp and stand out, and each note is crisp and clear. Those capricious, cyclical changes vanish as if they never existed in the first place, and the twisted, thick performance flows into your brain with a firm, stable precision. If you’ve been following the series, you’ll nod in agreement with this one, thinking, “This one’s amazing too,” but the impact will be even greater for those familiar with the previous masters. You’ll be immersed in the pleasure of having scales fall not only from your eyes but also from your ears, thinking, “What is this?!” and “I didn’t know Charlotte’s soundboard was this beautiful.” This live album, featuring a collaboration with Clapton, is a delight. This reborn soundboard allows you to experience the “BORBOLETTA Tour” set, which is drastically different from the previous series. Let’s compare and organize them here. Guardians of Heaven (4 songs) – Incident At Neshabur / Black Magic Woman-Gypsy Queen / Oye Como Va / Samba Pa Ti Others (6 songs + α) – Santana: Savor / Soul Sacrifice (Stormy Monday) – Others: Let The Music Set You Free (★) / Time Waits For No One (★) / Toussaint L’Overture / Eyesight To The Blind (★) *Note: Songs marked with “★” were not included in the “North America #1” soundboard series. …And so it goes. Anyone who has listened to the 1974 “North America #1” series will immediately see the difference. The opening medley and numbers like “Mirage” and “Bambele,” which formed the core of the set back then, have disappeared, replaced by “Let The Music Set You Free” and “Time Waits For No One.” Both of these songs are from the repertoire of “BORBOLETTA,” which was the latest album at the time. This is truly a selection of songs unique to the “BORBOLETTA Tour,” and it’s a new face of 1975 that can only be heard for the first time in this series. The biggest highlight of this album is the final track, “Eyesight To The Blind.” This song is not from Santana, but from the stage of Clapton, the main act. Only this one song, with Carlos as a guest, is included as a bonus track. Unfortunately, the recording cuts off midway through the song, but it is still recorded in the same superb soundboard quality as the main album and lasts for over 13 minutes. Moreover, the content is superb, and you can clearly hear the distinct solos of Clapton, Carlos, and George Terry. It is a must-listen take that vividly demonstrates the power of a direct soundboard connection. This is the latest installment in the legacy master series by the prestigious “JEMS,” and the first 1975 soundboard album. For a long time, soundboard recordings were only for collectors and were considered “something to be grateful to hear,” but this is a definitive edition that has been dramatically upgraded to be accessible to everyone. A precious live album from the “BORBOLETTA Tour,” capturing even the encounter with Clapton. A soundboard recording of the Charlotte concert on June 20, 1975. The latest release in the prestigious “JEMS” legacy master series, this is a valuable live album from the “BORBOLETTA Tour.” The sound is “like a completely different thing” compared to the previously muffled masters, and you can also enjoy “Eyesight To The Blind,” in which Carlos made a guest appearance during Eric Clapton’s encore. A new masterpiece from 1975, a previously uncharted territory of sound sources, has been born. Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC, USA 20th June 1975 Disc:1 (55:35) 1. Incident At Neshabur 2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen 3. Oye Como Va 4. Let The Music Set You Free 5. Time Waits For No One 6. Samba Pa Ti 7. Savor 8. Toussaint L’Overture Disc:2 (33:15) 1. Band Introductions 2. Soul Sacrifice / Stormy Monday 3. Eyesight To The Blind
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