Jam Jam Jam With Carlos Santana

Rating:
Summary: Play till your fingers fall off! This is a blast!
Review: I picked this up for working on my timing and feel, this is VERY well done, well ok ... the 2nd pack of tracks with actual guitar parts is, so so. I've spent hours just on Tracks '2' and '4' and I have to say this is the most fun I've had playing with out a real band around. You can work on your tone, timing, feel, get inventive, play it note for note and do not need to have other musicians going over and over it with you.
I'd also recommend the Dire Straits version but it's much harder to play along with. I will be buying more in this series for sure!

Rating:
Summary: Good stuff! Useful and fun!
Review: If you like Santana music and have decent guitar skills, you will appreciate this book. First of all, a recommendation that applies to all the books with sheet music and tablature: the reader/player should be able to read AT LEAST the rhythmic info on the paper in order to take more advantage of the product. That is, one should understand when it is a quarter or eighth or sixteenth note, if it is on the down or up beat, when it is staccato or not. You can use the tablature for getting the "note", but try to be disciplined on the rhythmic front. And play slowly,with a metronome, before jumping to the performance tempo of the jam tracks. Believe me, it adds so much to your rhythmic performance. At least for me, certain passages are rhythmically challenging so for the time being I am inserting licks that I control while trying to keep the "key notes" of the solo there. Hey, that is a good exercise in improvisation!
I have not "jammed" with the CD yet but I've been playing the licks with special concern to timing. My opinion is that almost anyone will benefit from this book at multiple levels: the book might serve as a beautiful introduction to the syncopated cha cha rhythm by playing "Oye como va". It also offers busy rhythm comping with "Evil Ways" and "Persuasion". And for the soloists, of course a guitar student will be able to appreciate the soulful, bluesy phrasing of Santana ("BlackMagic Woman", "Europa")and hopefully become able to add some of Santana's magic to his or her own style. Finally, kudos for the authors for having included "The Healer", an overlooked gem of Santana (the intro is as good an exercise in playing both with a pick and the fingers as any other).
There is one thing that I miss: I think the author could have included an intro on the book highlghying a few of the "trademark" Santana licks and techniques so you can practive in a more structured way instead of jumping directly into the tracks. Also, more rhythmic information for comping (e.g. the author mensions the "bossa nova feel" of BlackMagic Woman but does not show it on paper) would be welcome. But hey, I am very pleased with the purchase and I intend to buy more books of the "jam with" series.

Rating:
Summary: Dream come true for learning guitarists and Santana fanatics
Review: Santana has always been my ultimate guitarist idol, and for a book like this to come out, I feel like I've actually had a workshop with Santana himself. It provides a number of easy to interpret tips and recommendations that have not only increased my confidence in improvisation, but also have allowed me to imagine during the play-alongs that I may one day meet a level of playing like Carlos'. My guitar techniques have without a doubt undergone significant improvements. This book includes all the classics, and is a must for any of the other Santana fanatics like me.

Rating:
Summary: A total Santana experience !
Review: This book is a great book if you're looking for a book to learn Santana's songs. The transcription is accurate and you'll get the karaoke version and version with guitars on the accompanying CD so you can practice and learn. This book came out before the hit "Supernatural", so it isn't included in the selection. I wish for a second edition that includes more songs. Before you buy, check out the song list to make sure the song you're interested is in this book.