*** Résumé en anglais seulement ***
CARLOS & BAND S ELECTRIC PERFORMANCE AT THE BILL GRAHAM TRIBUTE CONCERT Santana s long association with legendary concert promoter Bill Graham began by accident. Carlos Santana had decided to become a full-time musician in 1965. In 1966 he gained prominence following his first eventful liaison with Graham. Santana was a frequent spectator at Bill Graham's Fillmore West, and during a Sunday matinee show, blues vocalist and harp player Paul Butterfield was slated to perform but was unable to do so as a result of intoxication. Bill Graham assembled an impromptu band of musicians to fill in, but he had not yet chosen all the guitarists. Santana's manager, Stan Marcum, immediately suggested to Graham that Santana join the impromptu band and Graham agreed. During the jam session, Santana's guitar playing and solos gained the notice of both the audience and of Bill. During the same year, Santana formed the Santana Blues Band. With their highly original blend of Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa and African rhythms, the band (which quickly adopted their frontman's name, Santana) gained an immediate following on the San Francisco club circuit, routinely performing at San Francisco s Fillmore West. The rest, as they say, is history, and no doubt one that those with an interest in this CD are familiar with, but as with most musicians and artist with whom Bill Graham maintained a long-term relationship, Carlos and band were only too keen to perform at the Memorial Concert for Bill Graham, held in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on 3rd November 1991 just eight days after Bill s sad passing following a fatal helicopter crash on October 25th, at the age of just 61. Santana joined the hastily arranged line-up - which also featured The Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Journey and a host of others, for what was a glorious day albeit one too of bereavement and remembrance, entitled Laughter, Love & Music . The event played tribute to Bill s girlfriend Mellissa Gold and pilot Steve Kahn too, who were tragically killed in the accident as well.