Soul Sacrifice
Santana, 1969, from Santana. Solo by Carlos Santana.
Santana's Woodstock performance of 'Soul Sacrifice' is an explosion of rhythm and energy. Carlos's guitar cuts through the band's dense, Latin percussion with sharp, sustained lines and fiery runs, building excitement with each phrase. His tone is raw and biting, and his playing is focused and urgent. The performance, including Michael Shrieve's drum solo, became one of the festival's defining moments and introduced Santana to a huge audience. Listen for how Carlos's guitar locks with the percussion, riding the groove and pushing the band toward its climax, and how his phrasing mixes melody and rhythm in a way that feels both precise and spontaneous.
Soul Sacrifice by Santana is ranked #201 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Carlos Santana and the song was released in 1969. It appears on 2 lists, placing as high as #35 (NME).
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Latin Rock Guitar Solos — #4
- Greatest Live Solos — #10
- Instrumentals — #25
- The Best Santana Guitar Solos — #4
Sources
- NME: 50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #35
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #101
Who played the guitar solo on Soul Sacrifice?
Carlos Santana played the solo on Santana's Soul Sacrifice (1969).
What guitar was used on the Soul Sacrifice solo?
A gibson sg, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Soul Sacrifice rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#201 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 2 of them.