Caravanserai (Audiophile Vinyl)

Just consider the quote from Indian monk-yogi Paramahansa Yolanda gracing the album's inner cover: "The body melts into the universe. The universe melts into the soundless voice. The sound melts into the all-shining light. And the light enters the bosom of infinite joy." Yolanda's words serve as a guide: Caravanserai feels at once cosmic, hopeful, bright, festive. Though grounded and centered, its songs seem to float in an otherworldly stratosphere; its liberating passages and pulsing rhythms don't touch the ground. Arrangements point forward and skyward, drawing attention to a higher consciousness and away from earthly pursuits. The effect is beautiful, uplifting, freeing.
Soulfulness and spirituality course throughout Caravanserai. Its deep emotionalism and heartfelt expressiveness are on par with the most personalized playing of Santana's career. Distinct from instrumentally based albums centered around jams performed for the sake of virtuosity, Caravanserai retains a cohesive focus and purpose. It is foremost an album of songs connected by melody, groove, and relative concision. It makes demands on not just the ears but the heart and mind. Directly and indirectly invoking concepts like purifying, cleansing, and sharing, it invites you to listen and concentrate with undivided attention.
The final Santana record to feature guitarist Neil Schon and organist Greg Rollie for more than four decades, Caravanserai displays no hint of the discord that would soon cause the lineup to splinter. Functioning as a unified collective with an all-for-one mentality, the band arrives at intersections at which rock, Latin, jazz, and funk speak a common language. Santana, Schon, Rollie, bassist Douglas Rauch, and company delve into the boundless – and then-novel – possibilities of fusion without exploiting technique, taxing patience, or running adrift.