With a mere 18 songs, Ultimate Santana is by no means truly definitive of his four decades worth of recording and performing. However, this is a highly enjoyable collection that, if anything, shows how Carlos Santana continues to be one most relevant and enduring artists from the original Woodstock era.
Now, before you realize what's wrong or missing from this compilation, let's admit something out in the open: it is hard to summarize any great musician or band's career at an affordable price. And in the age of iTunes, a compilation that doesn't have any digital features or bonus material will be a hard sell, especially on the old compact disc.
Having said all that, this disc has an excellent balance of the old and the recent hits. There are seven classics from his first three band-based albums (1969's Santana, 1970's Abraxas, 1971's Santana III) and seven collaborative tracks from his most three most recent albums (1999's Supernatural, 2002's Shaman, 2005's All That I Am). Instrumental classic "Europa" (from his seventh album, 1976's Amigos) is on here as well.
In addition, there are four new, mostly good but not awe-inspiring collaborations with the likes of Chad Kroeger of Nickelback ("Into The Night") and Alex Band of The Calling ("Why Don't You & I"). "Interplanetary Party" is also new, but it's a dance beat-fueled party starter that hardly sounds like Santana. There are very few questionable inclusions on this record, and that's one of them.
But essentials like the rip-roaring guitar work of "No One To Depend On," "Evil Ways," the Latin-rock flavored "Oye Como Va," and the body-moving number one hits "Smooth" and "Maria, Maria" are all here.
Yes, it is missing "Soul Sacrifice" "Se Acabo" and "Jingo," to name a few, but other compilations have those. You'd need an ultimate box set to make everybody happy. The idea here is to put enough essentials from his early and recent days to one disc that can be purchased for the same price as a regular studio album. Perhaps the album should have been called something other than Ultimate Santana.
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