Abraxas Pool - Abraxas Pool (1997)

Así como la vida nos da sorpresas, el Mago Alberto nos trae rarezas, como este disco de Santana pero sin Santana. Un buen disco como para empezar el dìa con el mejor rock santanesco.

Artista: Abraxas Pool

Álbum: Abraxas Pool
Año: 1997
Género: Rock / Chicano rock
Duración: 56:13
Nacionalidad: EEUU

Lista de Temas:
1. Boom Ba Ya Ya (Michael Shrieve, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon, Michael Carabello)
2. A Million Miles Away (Shrieve, Rolie, Schon)
3. Baila Mi Cha-Cha (José Areas)
4. Waiting for You (Rolie, Shrieve)
5. Going Home (Rolie)
6. Szabo (Schon, Shrieve)
7. Guajirona (J. Areas)
8. Cruzin' (Rolie)
7. Don't Give Up (Rolie, Schon, Shrieve)
8. Ya Llego (J. Areas, Carabello, Adrian Areas)
9. Jingo (Michael Olatunji)

Alineación:
- Gregg Rolie / voz y teclados
- Neal Schon / guitarra
- Alphonso Johnson / bajo
- Michael Shrieve / batería
- Michael Carabello / congas
- José Areas / timbales

La historia del disco es sencilla:

Abraxas Pool es un álbum de estudio lanzado por los músicos ex-Santana Mike Shrieve, Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, José "Chepito" Areas, Alphonso Johnson y Mike Carabello. Rolie y Schon habían trabajado juntos también en la banda de AOR Journey.

Wikipedia

Pero para hablar del disco en sì, qué mejor guía que las palabas del Mago Alberto que es quien nos trae esta rareza:

Un trabajo bastante extraño, particular, esto es Santana sin Santana, si, los integrantes de Santana de la primera formación, pero sin el Carlos. Por supuesto hay guitarra, si bien no esta el famosísimo y singular sustain del Carlitos, pero esa ausencia no se nota para nada, al contrario la version de Jingo es un ejemplo de esto, excelente casi diría mejor que la original.
Para el seguidor de Santana este es un disco que encaja perfecto en la discografía, el clima y la fibra Santanesca está intacta al cien por cien, por supuesto no creo que este material haya sido difundido ni tampoco haya sido promocionado, pero eso no importa acá en el blog, le damos cabida a todas estas rarezas, enfermos, desauciados, terminales, etc. etc, para muestra basta un botón (lo tenemos al Vampiro).
Temas que no te harán sentir la falta del chicano, hasta diría que hay unas perlas dignas de cualquier producción oficial del grupo.
Discos como éstos son un referente de por donde pasa el sonido y el estilo de una banda, bueno, otra rareza que cae de perillas para el disfrute de los cabezones.

Mago Alberto

Yo no alcancé aescuhar el disco pero todos los comentarios son muy favorables, aquí algunos reviews en inglés:

Despite the occultic name and implied Egyptian symbolism in this album's cover art, there is nothing mystic or magical in the sounds presented in the eponymous debut CD from Abraxas Pool. What the listener will find are well-crafted, produced, and performed songs in the mold of Abraxas/Amigo-era Santana, featuring veterans of the original band lineup and former members of Journey and Weather Report. This is an all-star affair, and includes much of the fire that made Carlos Santana's original entrée into the musical nexus of Latin, jazz, and rock so exciting in the first place. While Neal Schon more than adequately handles the Santana role on guitar, this recording really highlights the singing, playing, and writing talents of keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie (the architect behind the pre-Steve Perry Journey sound). Fans of Santana's jazz-tinged Latin rock, and those pining for the more halcyon days of classic AOR, will not be disappointed.

Gregg Juke

This is Santana, the original one, without Carlos Santana.
This means that this recording preserve the period before Carlos turned into a deep spiritual and more jazz oriented sound (BTW: my favourite period)
Due to better recording techniques to listen this release is really a marvelous experience.
Drums of rhythm section remains the same with the addition of an extraordinary bassman: Alphonso Johnson.
The group intends to reproduce the original sound of Santana 30 years later and the result is fabulous.
You will have Gregg Rolie and Michael Schrieve at their best.
Neal Schon very respetousely plays his best a-la Santana, and he succeeded. Thanks God!
This is a lovely, awesome and very valuable release by great musicians.

DaremoS

This is the real band that was previously called Santana as opposed to the dude whose last name is Santana.
This sounds far more like the BAND called Santana and their first four albums than anything the dude with the name Santana has done.
If you like the first four Santana albums, this is essentially the same band and the same style of music without Carlos Santana. Which is not really a big deal, considering Neil Schon was by leaps and bounds the more talented guitarist in the Santana band. His sound was just not what was the most recongizable, being as Carlos Santana was the dominant guitarist on the first three albums.
This sounds a lot like the first two albums with the obvious exception of it being far better produced and arranged, mostly due to technology differences. As the first two Santana albums were a bit rough around the edges this is slicker production.
But the slicker production adds to the quality of the sound, it does not detract.
I have always thought that Neil Schons guitar work was a bit over the top after the first few Journey albums with Steve Perry. His rapid fire noodling tends to get a bit monotonous when he overdoes it. .
That is the case on this CD. I think he could have cut back on the lightning fast leads in favor of something more melodic and less showy. The guitar work here sounds more like his solo jazz music, only a bit more overdone.
But, in all this really does sound like the real Santana. Gregg Rolie was really the main dude in the band called Santana, given he played the prominent organ and did the most recognizable of the vocals, whereas Carlos Santana played guitar and didn't sing. I also always felt that Mr Rolie was the superior songeriter in Santana.
And of course the percussion for Santana is here, which was also ( like Mr Rolie) a far more important ingredient to the Santana sound than Mr Santanas guitar work.
So in summary, this sounds like what you would expect from the guys that bailed from Santana, it sounds like the first four Santana albums with much more up to date production and Neil Schons fiery guitar work.
I consider this to be essential to anyone who liked the band Santana during their most popular period.

1SKEETER

This record SHOULD have been huge, but alas that was not to be. With four members of 1969 Santana Band: Greg Rolie, Michael Shrieve, Jose "Chepito" Areas and Michael Carabello, Joined together with Santana's most famous 'Second' Guitarist and founding member (With Greg Rolie) of Journey, Neal Schon and later-day Santana bassist Alphonso Johnson. All the elements are here, with the powerful percussion force of Shrieve/Areas & Carabello and those smooth vocals and keyboards of Greg, the stellar guitar of Neal Schon, This CD is something special. The fact that only a few of us would hear this amazing music is quite a shame.
That said "Abraxas Pool" is a CD that BELONGS in any music collection. With the BIG drum sound of the opening number "Boom Ba Ya Ya" it is clear to all that this train has not lost any steam, to Describe the sound of these musicians is like describing being charged by a runaway elephant in some steamy jungle. The second tune: "A Million Miles Away" would have sounded real good on the radio. Also of note are the great tunes: "Going Home" and "Don't Give Up" that are as good as anything from The 1969 -1971 period that these musicians remember with great fondness. Mr. Neal Schon get's a showcase number on the wonderful: "Szabo" that has the pure emotion of the best of The Santana Band. But "Abraxas Pool" is not locked in the past, this music is new & fresh and the production is top-notch. Just one listen to the new version of "Jingo" will prove that to your ears.
Except for a short tour of the west coast and this stunning CD, Abraxas Pool is no more. Pick this up whilst it is still available.(By Philip S Wolf)
Enjoy !!!

Silverado

Los seguidores de Santana estarán como locos con éste disquito. Imagino que ya saben dónde encontrarlo... Que lo disfruten!