On previous "solo" albums,
Carlos Santana had made noticeable stylistic changes and worked with jazz, pop, and even country musicians. On this, his fourth
Carlos Santana release, the line between a "solo" and a "group" project is blurred; this record is really a catchall of
Santana band outtakes and stray tracks. For example, included are an instrumental version of "Deeper, Dig Deeper" from
Freedom, and an alternate take of "Hannibal" from
Zebop!, as well as "Now That You Know" from the group's 1985 tour. Given the variety of material, the album is somewhat less focused than most
Santana band albums, but there are individual tracks that are impressive, notably "trane," which features
Tony Williams on drums. (
Blues for Salvador won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance). ~ William Ruhlmann