Flor d'Luna (Moonflower)

Santana, 1977, from Moonflower. Solo by Carlos Santana.

A slow, sustained instrumental in the Samba Pa Ti style from the Moonflower album.

Flor d'Luna, from the Moonflower album, is a slow, sustained instrumental in the spirit of Samba Pa Ti, and it shows how much Carlos Santana can do with a simple tune. He states the melody almost like a singer, with long notes, smooth bends and a warm, rounded tone that lets each pitch bloom. As the piece develops, he adds quicker runs and higher, more urgent phrases, yet always circles back to the gentle main theme. The appeal lies in its patience: nothing is rushed, and the melody has room to breathe. Listen for the small bends he adds at the ends of phrases, which give the guitar a sighing, almost vocal quality.

Flor d'Luna (Moonflower) by Santana is featured in our Latin Rock (#22) list. The solo is played by Carlos Santana and the song was released in 1977.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Latin Rock Guitar Solos — #22
• The Best Santana Guitar Solos — #8

Sources