Concert Review: Santana and Rod Stewart, Mohegan Sun, May 25, 2014

The last time I saw Santana live was during their co-headliner tour with the Allman Bros. in July of 2012. The band’s trend of co-headlining East Coast concerts continues this year with Santana teaming up with Rod Stewart.

I go way back in concert with each of these legendary artists. I first caught Rod Stewart as lead vocalist with the Jeff Beck Group at the Fillmore East on July 3, 1969. I then saw Santana for the first time live the following year, November 14, 1970 at the Capitol Theatre in Portchester, New York. What’s interesting about both artists is that there was a significant gap in time before I saw either of them again. I re engaged with Santana in August of 2002 (a 32 year gap). I have since seen Santana perform live an extra 19 times (21 Santana concerts in 44 years, 20 of those shows in the past 12 years). I had not seen Rod Stewart perform in 45 years. So let’s do the time warp again 😉

The concert was billed as The Voice, The Guitar and The Songs, Rod Stewart, Santana. The Santana band was the opening act. It’s important to note that this is not the Santana Corazon Tour. If you look at the Santana.com Website you will notice that the Santana Tour dates reflect two different tours, the dates with Rod Stewart and the Corazon Tour.

Santana got things started in vigorous fashion. They began their set with “Toussaint L’Overture” an instrumental that really pops from Santana III. Once they had us up and dancing the band segued into “Hope You’re Feeling Better” followed by the classic, “Black Magic Woman”.

Santana continued to mine Abraxas with “Oye Como Va” (Tito Puente). I was disappointed that the video screen above the band did not display the full video that accompanies this song. That video is a concert favorite as it shows many of the Santana album covers interspersed with Santana historic moments. The video is well sequenced and greatly enhances the popular Latin standard.

I watched with keen interest the new members of the Santana Band. Conquero Raul Rekow (since 1978) has been replaced by a powerful conga player in his own right, Paoli Mejias. He played with intensity and precision. Here is a video image of Paoli from the Sunday night concert along with an enhanced photograph of his congas.

There is also a new drummer who replaced Dennis Chambers, Jose “Pepe” Jimenez. 

“Corazon Espinado” from Supernatural featured Cindy Blackman Santana on drums, where she performed a tasteful drum solo.

My favorite part of the set followed next as “Jingo” got us in that tribal mood. The next choice, “Sacalo” featured our good friend Mr. Bill Ortiz on trumpet. “Sacalo” is the Spanish version of “Chill Out”, which Carlos recorded with John Lee Hooker in the 90’s. I loved hearing a Spanish extended blues number. It set the stage for the next song trilogy, “Saja/Right On/Umi Says” which comes from the Milagro album which is dedicated to the late Miles Davis and Bill Graham who we lost in 1991. Bill Ortiz really got down with his horn playing and to my ear channeled Miles Davis. The 90 minute set ended with “Smooth/Dame Tu Amor” and yes Santana Made It Real 😉

Rod Stewart followed next in sharp contrast with a 12 piece band of young male and female musicians. It was very much the Las Vegas act where Rod Stewart performed his hits against an interactive graphic backdrop.

Carlos Santana joined Rod Stewart for one number, the Etta James classic, “I’d Rather Go Blind”. My earlier thoughts about Bill Ortiz channeling Miles were validated by Carlos Santana who wore a T-Shirt that stated, “Listen to Miles Davis”. I found this meaningful when I learned the very next day was Miles 88th birthday. So I listened in-depth to Miles on his day out of respect.

Here is a taste of that song and other hits from Rod and his band.

Rod Stewart also featured an acoustic section of the show and he performed my favorite song of his written by Tim Hardin (who I saw many years ago at Staples High School in Westport), “Reason to Believe”. He also kicked and threw into the audience two dozen signed soccer balls. I found Rod Stewart to be the dandy who came across charming and genuine as a person.

Santana Set List:

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GALAXY DANCE INTRO
1. TOUSSAINT L’OUVERTURE
2. HOPE YOUR FEELING BETTER
3. BLACK MAGIC WOMAN / GYPSY QUEEN
4. OYE COMO VA
5. MARIA MARIA
6. FOO FOO
7. *CORAZON ESPINADO-(CINDY & BENNY SOLO)
8. JINGO
9. SACALO
10. SAJA/ RIGHT ON/ UMI SAYS
11. SMOOTH/ DAME TU AMOR

*W/ CINDY BLACKMAN-SANTANA