The previous exploration into Santana’s discography culminated with the creation of the groundbreaking album Caravanserai. As October 1972 dawned, a newly invigorated Santana band stood ready to embark on a tour promoting this adventurous record. However, destiny had more in store than just tour dates. A unique jazz-rock collaboration was on the horizon, bringing together Carlos Santana, John McLaughlin, and members of their respective ensembles. This period was not only marked by intense musical innovation but also by a profound spiritual awakening that deeply influenced Santana’s artistic direction. Let’s delve into this transformative era for Santana, exploring one of his most compelling lineups and musical partnerships.
Santana 1972 Lineup
Santana’s revamped 1972 lineup, showcasing the dual keyboard setup that broadened their sonic palette.
Santana’s fourth studio album, Caravanserai, hit record stores in October 1972. Even before its official release, the band commenced an extensive tour across the US and Europe to introduce audiences to their new musical direction. A key element in shaping the tour’s sound was the strategic addition of not one, but two keyboard virtuosos. Tom Coster, who had already contributed to Caravanserai on tracks like “La Fuente del Ritmo,” was the first to join. Carlos Santana further expanded the keyboard section by recruiting Richard Kermode from his brother Jorge Santana’s band, Malo. Kermode was known for his exceptional touch on the electric piano. Michael Shrieve, Santana’s drummer, highlighted the significance of this dual keyboard setup: “Two keyboards broadened the horizon of what was possible sonically and rhythmically. In order to play the music from Caravanserai it was necessary.” Carlos Santana himself drew parallels between this arrangement and the innovative Miles Davis bands, noting, “Richard Kermode had a bad, straight-ahead montuno, a consistent Latin feel in his playing and was steady like a horse. In my mind, Tom Coster as the Keith Jarrett of Santana, and Kermode became the Chick Corea.” Tom Coster aptly described their synergy: “I eventually got the gig along with Richard Kermode, and I thought it was a wonderful, wonderful molding of two musicians, because Richard and I had different things to offer the band, but we worked together beautifully, and complemented each other beautifully, and also got along well. So the colors that we brought into the band as keyboard players were pretty special, very, very special.”
How distinctive this new Santana sound was became apparent to audiences very quickly. However, before examining Santana’s tour and performances, it’s crucial to explore an extraordinary album that emerged unexpectedly, featuring members of Santana collaborating with a jazz-rock ensemble that had already captivated the music world with their groundbreaking debut album in 1971. This is the story of that remarkable collaboration.
Santana’s US West/Canada tour officially began on October 4th, 1972, with a performance at the legendary Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, a venue deeply connected to the band’s history. This event was momentous not only as the debut stage performance of the new Santana lineup but also because of a special guest who joined them onstage towards the end of the show. Santana reminisced, “We sealed the deal when John flew out to San Francisco to sit in with the new Santana at Winterland at the start of October. John sat in for the last half hour.” The “John” in question was John McLaughlin, and the “deal” being finalized was the genesis of their collaborative album. McLaughlin recounted the unusual circumstances in a 1973 interview, “It was really strange the way it happened. I woke up one morning with this idea for an album I wanted to do with Carlos. That same day, my manager phoned me to say that he had been having meetings with Clive (Davis, president of Columbia) and that Clive had this idea that I should do an album with Carlos.” This was the same Clive Davis who had previously expressed concerns about Caravanserai‘s commercial viability. However, jazz-rock’s growing popularity and commercial success at the time made the collaboration an appealing prospect for the label.
Carlos Santana Winterland 1972
Carlos Santana performing at Winterland in 1972, a pivotal moment leading to the ‘Love Devotion Surrender’ project.
Audiences attending Santana’s tour concerts were largely unprepared for the musical direction the band was taking. Caravanserai had not yet been widely heard, and its extended, jazz-infused instrumental pieces were a departure from the hits like “Black Magic Woman” and “Evil Ways” that many fans expected. Santana recalled the audience reaction: “I’d be into a long, slow solo, and suddenly somebody would yell at the top of his lungs: ‘Play fuckin’ ‘Evil Ways’!’ Oh, man. I remember turning around and looking at Shrieve, and then we’d go into ‘Stone Flower.’” Even fellow musicians on the tour package, Bobby Womack and Freddie King, expressed surprise. “I remember Freddie King saying, ‘Hey, Santana, that’s some weird-ass shit you’re playing now. Why don’t you play some ‘Black Magic Woman’? I like it better when you just play some blues.’” Despite initial confusion, the band’s performances grew stronger as the tour progressed. By late October 1972, a Rolling Stone article noted, “Santana, on its complex new levels, is at this point so solid musically that fewer and fewer people are demanding the old evil ways. There were standing ovations in San Francisco and New York, and encores almost everywhere else.”
The same Rolling Stone article featured a photograph of Carlos Santana taken by Annie Leibovitz in his Seattle hotel room. This photograph, which graced the magazine’s cover in December 1972, is believed to be among the last images of the guitarist with his signature long hair. This visual transformation is significant as it leads us to the spiritual dimension of Santana’s journey during this period.
Carlos Santana Seattle 1972
Annie Leibovitz’s photograph of Carlos Santana in Seattle, October 1972, capturing a moment of transition both musically and spiritually.
Returning to John McLaughlin’s phone call to Carlos Santana, the proposition was undoubtedly daunting. The Mahavishnu Orchestra’s debut album, The Inner Mounting Flame, had been a seismic event in music. Michael Shrieve remembered its impact: “McLaughlin came out with Mahavishnu and changed the world, like ridiculous. It was like the moon landing – where were you the first time you heard the Mahavishnu live? When I heard it I realized, after I dragged myself up from the floor, that I would never play drums like that. I wouldn’t be able to, so let’s get that straight so don’t bother. It helped me define my direction. Everyone went to Billy, but I said I’m not gonna be part of that crowd.”
Carlos Santana faced a unique challenge – to collaborate on guitar with John McLaughlin. “People ask me if it was intimidating to play with John back then—it’s always intimidating to play with John. He was busy restructuring the way a guitar sounded in jazz—in music. What could I do next to him?” Santana sought counsel from his inner circle. “I spoke to a lot of people, including Shrieve and Deborah (Santana’s future wife), before saying yes.” Armando Peraza, the elder statesman of the band, offered crucial encouragement: “I remember Armando had good advice: ‘Don’t worry, goddammy.’ (He’d say ‘goddammy’ instead of ‘goddamn it.’) ‘You let him do his shick, let him play. When it’s your turn, you already got something he don’t have.”
Santana McLaughlin Studio
Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin in the studio during the ‘Love Devotion Surrender’ sessions, capturing the synergy of their musical partnership.
In October 1972, the two guitar titans, along with members from their respective bands, convened in the studio to record an album deeply inspired by John Coltrane, both musically and spiritually, and guided by the teachings of Sri Chinmoy. Coltrane’s influence permeates the album not only through the inclusion of his compositions ‘A Love Supreme’ and ‘Naima’ but also in the overall atmosphere of meditative intensity and virtuosic playing. The stellar lineup of musicians contributing to Love Devotion Surrender included Larry Young on organ, Jan Hammer on keyboards and percussion, Billy Cobham on drums, Don Alias on drums, and Santana band members Doug Rauch, Mike Shrieve, Mingo Lewis, and Armando Peraza. Who Sang Love Devotion And Surrender on this album? While primarily instrumental, the album’s vocal essence is conveyed through the passionate interplay of Santana and McLaughlin’s guitars, embodying the spiritual themes.
One track exemplifying the album’s energy is John McLaughlin’s composition ‘The Life Divine’, a breathtaking jazz-rock tour-de-force. Carlos Santana described McLaughlin’s compositional gifts: “The music included a few originals by John—he can come up with some long, gorgeous, celestial melodies, and I know that’s just one reason why Miles loved him. He did two for this album —‘Meditation’ and ‘The Life Divine.’”
The John Coltrane piece, ‘A Love Supreme,’ held profound significance for Santana. In his autobiography, he recounts a formative experience when Marcus Malone, an early band member, introduced him to the album: “The first thing I heard was Coltrane’s volume and intensity. Coltrane’s loudness and emotion reminded me of Hendrix, but it sounded like his horn was putting holes in the darkness – each time he blew, more light came through. I remember looking at the album cover and seeing his face so calm and intense. It looked like his thoughts were screaming. It was one of the first times I realized the paradox of music: it can be violent and peaceful at the same time.” Therefore, it was natural for Santana and McLaughlin to choose a piece from A Love Supreme for Love Devotion Surrender. Santana explained, “Coltrane was the reason the recording came together, so we had to celebrate his music and acknowledge him, even if we were rock musicians doing some of his holiest songs only a few years after he died.”
McLaughlin summarized the essence of creating Love Devotion Surrender: “We had a very strong rapport. And neither of us dominates the music. Spiritual harmony creates musical harmony. The result is different from the Mahavishnu Orchestra and different from Santana. I think it’s greater than them both.” Carlos Santana further clarified the album’s title and concept: “We called the album ‘Love Devotion Surrender’, which was the spiritual path of Sri Chinmoy.”
Santana Love Devotion Surrender Album Cover
The album cover of ‘Love Devotion Surrender’, visually representing the spiritual underpinnings of the musical collaboration.
Sri Chinmoy’s name is central to understanding this period of Santana’s life. Santana extensively details his connection with the guru’s teachings in his autobiography. Earlier in 1972, guitarist Larry Coryell, while staying with Santana, had introduced him to Sri Chinmoy. “We meditated together, and I noticed a photograph he carried with him—it was in a little frame, and it was scary. It showed a man in the middle of meditating so deeply that the photo was humming! I asked Larry who it was. ‘This is a transcendental picture of Sri Chinmoy in a high state.’” John McLaughlin was also a disciple of Sri Chinmoy, who had established a meditation center in Queens, New York City, after moving from India. The cover of Love Devotion Surrender features a photograph of Sri Chinmoy alongside his two disciples, Santana and McLaughlin.
Chinmoy McLaughlin Santana
John McLaughlin, Sri Chinmoy, and Carlos Santana, a photograph capturing the spiritual mentorship that shaped ‘Love Devotion Surrender’.
Carlos Santana became a formal disciple of Sri Chinmoy around the time of recording Love Devotion Surrender. John McLaughlin and his then-wife Eve facilitated Santana and his future wife Deborah’s first meeting with the guru. This encounter profoundly impacted Santana, leading him to embrace Sri Chinmoy’s teachings. Following the guru’s guidance, Santana made a dramatic change by cutting his long hair – a significant gesture for a rock star in the early 1970s. When he rejoined his band in London for the European tour, his new appearance caused considerable surprise. “When the band saw me they were shocked. I could see in their faces that they thought someone had kidnapped Carlos and sent his twin brother instead.”
Love Devotion Surrender Back Cover
The back cover of ‘Love Devotion Surrender’, reinforcing the spiritual message and visual identity of the project.
Santana was not alone in his spiritual exploration within the band. Drummer Michael Shrieve was also on a parallel spiritual quest. He recalled their shared experience: “We went together to see Sri Chinmoy. We went outside of NYC. He was on a kind of altar. We sat, he meditated. It was amazing. Literally white light appeared. Carlos and I were in a taxi going back to a 5th Avenue hotel and he said, ‘man I don’t know about you but I think I found my guy.’ I said ‘That was an unparalleled experience but I think I’m gonna keep looking a little bit.’” Shrieve’s search led him to Swami Satchidananda, another influential guru who had attracted followers from the music world. Swami Satchidananda, who had opened the Woodstock festival in 1969, had a significant presence in the US. Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane’s wife, became a devoted follower in 1970. Shrieve explained, “I found my guy in Satchidananda. During the tour I would get up at four in the morning no matter what and meditate. I was very disciplined during that period, practicing a lot, vegetarian, very clean living.”
Michael Shrieve Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana with Michael Shrieve, highlighting the shared spiritual journeys within the band during this transformative period.
The European leg of the 1972 tour commenced in London on November 4th with two shows at the Empire Pool, Wembley. Consistent with other performances on this tour, each show began with the announcement, “Good Evening. We’d like just one moment of silence, please.” Following this moment of collective quiet, the band launched into Caravanserai‘s powerful track ‘Every Step of the Way’. Melody Maker’s review captured the concert’s intensity: “For the next 90 minutes, it seemed as though the Gods had descended from Olympus and were walking the earth once more.” The review lauded each musician and particularly highlighted the percussion duo: “Lewis and Peraza were a treat. They had one duet which was visual poetry as well as percussive nirvana, elbows flailing and grins ever-widening. One expected blood to pour from the skins of their drums.”
[Listen to ‘Every Step of the Way’ Live in Rotterdam 1972]
1972 concluded with a brief US tour, with performances in New Orleans, Texas, and Arizona. For this leg, Santana chose Weather Report, a band they deeply admired, as their opening act. Carlos Santana recalled, “Bill Graham asked me who I’d like to have open for Santana on that run, and it took me less than a second to say Weather Report. They agreed to be on the bill, and during every show I’d be backstage listening to them play—Wayne, Joe, Eric Grávátt on drums, and Miroslav Vitous, who was playing acoustic bass through a wah-wah!” Weather Report, despite releasing their acclaimed second album I Sing the Body Electric in 1972, remained relatively unknown to Santana’s rock-oriented fanbase. A reviewer from a Tucson, Arizona show on December 15th openly expressed this disconnect, asking, “Who has ever heard of Weather Report?”, and summarizing the audience’s lukewarm reception with, “Maybe one day will come when teen-agers can trust a group with a balding piano player.” However, Santana’s band members held Weather Report in high regard. Shrieve stated, “Those are the people we wanted to hang up with. We once did a tour with Weather Report opening for us just so we can watch them every night. Eric Gravatt was unbelievable.”
Santana Weather Report 1972
Santana and Weather Report sharing the stage in December 1972, a meeting of jazz-rock innovators.
Despite recognizing the creative peak of Santana’s music during this era, the audience’s reaction is understandable. The music was significantly different from their commercially successful early albums. The band, lacking a traditional lead vocalist in the current lineup and relying mostly on instrumental pieces with occasional chants or vocals by Carlos Santana, delivered concerts that were heavily instrumental and jazz-rock oriented. For fans expecting hits like ‘Evil Ways’, a three-hour concert including Weather Report and Santana’s new material was a considerable departure. Caravanserai, as Clive Davis had pointed out, lacked a radio-friendly single. It underscores the band’s commitment to their artistic vision that their setlists continued to evolve, incorporating even more musically challenging and spiritually infused selections throughout the tour.
[Listen to ‘Stone Flower’ Live in San Diego 1973]
In the next article, we will continue to explore Santana’s journey through 1973 and their subsequent studio album, Welcome.
Resources:
Santana, Carlos. The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light. Little, Brown and Company, 2014.
Shrieve, Michael. Interview, December 2022.
Santanamigos. Santana History Online Resource. https://santanamigos.pagesperso-orange.fr/about.htm
