Welcome (Santana album)
Welcome is the fifth studio album by Santana, released in 1973. It followed the jazz-fusion formula that the preceding Caravanserai had inaugurated, but with an expanded and different lineup this time. Gregg Rolie had left the band along with Neal Schon to form Journey, and they were replaced by Tom Coster, Richard Kermode and Leon Thomas, along with guest John McLaughlin, who had collaborated with Carlos Santana on Love Devotion Surrender. Welcome also featured John Coltrane's widow, Alice, as a pianist on the album's opening track, "Going Home" and Flora Purim on vocals. This album was far more experimental than the first four albums, and Welcome did not produce any hit singles.
In 2003, the album was re-released with a bonus track, "Mantra", which was part of a jam session between Tom Coster, Carlos Santana, and Mike Shrieve.Track listing
Side one
Side two
2003 remastered CD edition bonus track
Personnel
Band members
- Carlos Santana – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, kalimba, percussion, vocals, producer
- Tom Coster – Yamaha organ, Hammond organ, electric piano, acoustic piano, organ, marimba, percussion, strings arrangements, producer
- Richard Kermode – Hammond organ, mellotron, electric piano, acoustic piano, marimba, shekere, percussion
- Douglas Rauch – bass guitar
- Michael Shrieve – drums, producer
- José "Chepito" Areas – percussion, congas, timbales
- Armando Peraza – percussion congas, bongos, cabasa
- Leon Thomas – lead vocals, whistling
Additional musicians
- Alice Coltrane – piano, organ and Farfisa organ Arrangement
- Wendy Haas – vocals
- Flora Purim – lead vocals
- John McLaughlin – guitar
- Joe Farrell – solo flute
- Bob Yance – flute
- Mel Martin – flute
- Douglas Rodriguez – rhythm guitar
- Tony Smith – drums
- Jules Broussard – soprano saxophone
- Greg Adams – strings arrangements
Production
- Glen Kolotkin - engineer
- Bob Irwin - 2003 CD reissue producer
Certifications
