Carlos Santana - guitar; Tom Coster - keyboards; Chester Thompson - keyboards; Alphonso Johnson - bass; Armando Peraza - percussion; Raul Rekow - percussion, congas; Orestes Vilato - timbales, percussion; Armando Pereza - percussion, congas; Graham Lear - drums; Buddy Miles - vocals; Guest: Paul Butterfield, harmonica
This Santana set captures the band during one of their many transitional points. After releasing the album Beyond Appearances in 1985, which headed toward a distinctly more mainstream sound, Carlos revamped the band lineup and began heading back to the groups original Latin rock sound. This new expanded lineup, featured here with Buddy Miles and Paul Butterfield sitting in, began creating new music that was more true to the bands original sound while embracing additional influences.
The newer material featured in this set includes driving versions of "Brotherhood" and "Open Invitation," as well as a preview of things to come with "Song of Freedom," a track they would record the following year. Alex Lighterwood does a respectable job belting out a cover of the Zombies 1960's hit "She's Not There," but the highlight of this set is the band's nod to Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsies, which also featured Buddy Miles (on drums). They perform a smoking medley of Miles' most well-known song, "Them Changes," which transitions into a jam on "We Got To Live Together." Carlos' love for this music is obvious and the entire band cooks on this tribute to Hendrix.
The set closes with a medley of vintage Santana favorites beginning with "Savor." This transitions into a great take of "Black Magic Woman" that includes the "Gypsy Queen" coda to end the set. The recording ends with Bill Graham's stage announcements right before The Allman Brothers take the stage. Carlos would return to play during the closing jam of the night.