Carlos Santana's second studio album is considert to be his most outstanding piece of work. Not only songs like Black Magic Woman make this record still worth listening to. It's mainly the brilliant musicans who created in 1970 this pop history masterpiece. Another reason for it's unbroken popularity might be the artwork by Mati Klarwein. A good collectors item is the 1981's CBS reissue.

Abraxas is one of the new independent productions for Columbia done at Wally Heider's studio (San Fransisco), and bass player Dave Brown did much of the engineering. The keyboard player Gregg Rolie formed 1973 the rock band JOURNEY. Gregg Rolie is beside Santana the star of this piece and he does a fine job on the album overall.

Coverdesign: Mati Klarwein (1932 - 2002 Germany).

The typography and logo were designed by Bob Venosa.

Mati Klarwein was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1932. The painting called “THE ANNUNCIATION” and was done 1962 in Spain. Carlos Santana discovered the painting eight years later.

Tracks

1. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts (Carabello) 4'47
2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen (Szabo-Green) 5'19
3. Oye Como Va (Puente) 4'16
4. Incident At Neshabur (Gianquinto-Santana) 4'56
5. Se a Cabo (Areas) 2'49
6. Mother's Daughter (Rolie) 4'21
7. Samba Pa Ti (Santana) 4'37
8. Hope You're Feeling Better (Rolie) 4'10
9. El Nicoya (Areas) 1'24

Musicans
Santana --- guitar, voc
Gregg Rolie --- keyb, voc
Dave Brown --- bass
Mike Shrieve --- drums
Jose Areas --- prc timbales, gonga
Mike Crabello --- gonga

Background
The word Abraxas (or Abrasax or Abracax) was engraved on certain antique stones, called on that account Abraxas stones, which were used as amulets or charms. The name is found in the Greek Magical Papyrii, and the word may be related to the word abracadabra, although other explanations exist. The name is also found in Gnostic texts such as the Gospel of the Egyptians. Abraxas has also been variously claimed throughout the centuries to be an Egyptian god, and a demon. Abraxas represents also God and Satan in one entity and the dual nature of its essence. (Wikipedia)