Carlos Santana has released the third single from his upcoming album Blessings and Miracles, a soulful over of Procol Harum’s Whiter Shade of Pale, for which he’s recruited fellow electric guitar icon Steve Winwood.as Guitar World reported
The wholly faithful rendition comes complete with an equally hypnotically smooth keys progression, though is amped up by way of some up-tempo percussive trills and a healthy dose of Santana’s super-sustained licks and flourishes.
Just over a minute of flat-out soloing closes the track out, with Santana rattling off wah-tinged pentatonic licks, rapid-fire ‘board-spanning embellishments and searing, high-end bends.
Of how their partnership for Whiter Shade of Pale came about, Santana recalls that the two met at a show in London’s Hyde Park, and that he had a very specific sonic direction in mind for the single.
“I said, ‘You and I have to do it, but we’re going to do it very sexy, like a Hare Krishna but with congas,’” said Santana. “I played the components in his ear, and he said, ‘I hear it, Carlos. You’re right.’ So that’s what we did – it’s Santana, Cuban, Puerto Rican in an African way. And man, you talk about sexy. Steve’s voice is so sexy and beautiful.”
Added Winwood, “Carlos has been doing what I’ve been trying to do for the last fifty years, namely combining elements of rock, jazz, folk and Latin/Afro-Caribbean music.
