Featured · 1970

Incident at Neshabur

Santana · 1970 · solo by Carlos Santana
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Incident at Neshabur

Santana, 1970, from Abraxas. Solo by Carlos Santana.

An Abraxas instrumental that shifts meters and moods, with Santana's guitar leading through each section.

Incident at Neshabur, from Abraxas, is an instrumental that moves through changing meters and moods, from brisk Latin-rock sections to slower, jazzier passages. Carlos Santana's guitar leads through each part, sometimes stating themes, sometimes improvising over shifting grooves. His tone is sustained and expressive, and his phrasing blends blues bends with melodic lines influenced by jazz. The piece shows how ambitious the band could be within a rock album format. Listen for the transitions between sections, and how Santana adapts his phrasing to each new rhythm, playing more percussively in the faster parts and more lyrically when the music slows and opens up.

Incident at Neshabur by Santana is featured in our Latin Rock (#8) list. The solo is played by Carlos Santana and the song was released in 1970.

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    Who played the guitar solo on Incident at Neshabur?

    Carlos Santana played the solo on Santana's Incident at Neshabur (1970).