Died, and Gone to "Guitar Heaven"

The first time I ever saw Carlos Santana play was in an audition for the Fillmore West, on a Sunday afternoon, while watching the "Bill Graham All-Stars" play pick-up basketball in the Carousell Ball room. Bill would listen while he played, and stop only long enough to signal an staffer to either get more info on the band, or to get them off the stage. Some of the bands were pretty good, some were pretty awful, but Bill would play, and listen to the music, giving bands a chance to play one song, at least.
Santana began their with the now-classic song "Jingo," the combination of percussion instruments setting down a very Latinesque beat. Greg Rollie was on the organ, and laid out a melody, but the guitar playing of Carlos brought Bill Graham to a halt, mid-dribble. He stopped, holding the ball under his arm (apparently a signal for "time out"), and listened to something new, Rock with a Latin rhythm. I thought it was pretty cool, and, apparently, so did Bill Graham. I never saw the signal, but I did see one of the staffers sprinting for the offices. Bill gave them a second song, and I think it was "Oy Ye Como Va," but I wouldnt bet on it.
I didn't know it, at the time, but I had wittnessed the launch of a great career. Carlos Santana would go on to produce great music for almost six decades, now, and continue to play guitar, becomming one of Rock's most identifiable icons. One doesn't watch Santana play without noticing how much Carlos puts into his performances, and how deftly he elicits sound from an electric guitar.
Needless to say, when I first heard about Guitar Heaven I was pretty excited. Without hearing a note, the concept of the CD seemed very interesting to this long-time fan. Subtitled The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time, the concept was for Carlos to "cover" such Rock classics as "Whole Lot of Love," "Back In Black," "Riders on the Storm," among the twelve songs selected for the CD. That much I heard in the pre-release bulletins. It was to be Rock and Roll, served Carlos Santana-style. I bought it.
The cover is Carlos, guitar in hand, his head back, his back arched, and you can almost hear the wail of the note. Surprises are in store, when you turn the CD over, and see the list of Featured Performers, including Chris Daughtry, Jonny Lang, Joe Cocker, India.Arie, and Yo Yo Ma. Sure, the playlist is impressive, but a great deal of talent went into the making of Guitar Heaven. The music is great.
Personally, I believe that the "jewel" of the CD is the Mark Serletic/Carlos Santana arrangement of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," featuring Yo Yo Ma on cello, and the vocals of India.Arie. Backed by the Santana band, with fresh guitar riffs by Carlos himself, the song pays homage to the originals, while getting a breath of new life from Mr. Ma and the ladies. Certainly the biggest surprize was the Serletic/Santana arrangement of "Back In Black," which takes the AC/DC standards in a new direction as a Rap Song. OK, I see the AC/DC diehards beginning to bristle, but let me put it this way: it works. In fact, if more Rap artists performed with real, honest-to-Betsy musicians, instead of "beats" created by scratching records, or however, I might even learn to like it. Then again, there's all the profanity in Rap, so maybe not.
I believe that Guitar Heaven is an instant classic, in and of itself. It is some of Rocks greatest songs, and the guitar work is vintage Carlos. Young people will find some old songs, made fresh by one of the Master's of Guitar. Definitely a candidate for Album of the Year.