Santana’s 1999 global phenomenon, Supernatural, represents one of the most successful commercial comebacks in music history, sweeping nine Grammy Awards and introducing Carlos Santana’s iconic Latin-rock guitar tone to an entirely new generation. Produced by legendary music executive Clive Davis alongside Carlos Santana, the album bridged Santana's classic Afro-Cuban rhythms and soaring guitar solos with late-90s pop, R&B, hip-hop, and alternative rock through a star-studded lineup of guest collaborators.
Carlos Santana’s guitar playing serves as the album's primary melodic anchor throughout every genre shift—defined by his signature PRS guitar tone, singing sustain, expressive wah-wah phrasing, and fluid Dorian-mode runs. Beneath the guest features lies Santana's classic, driving Latin percussion engine, led by Karl Perazzo on timbales, Raul Rekow on congas, and Rodney Holmes or Billy Johnson on drums, providing infectious Afro-Cuban grooves to every track.
From the multi-platinum, pop-funk juggernaut "Smooth" (featuring Rob Thomas) and the infectious Latin-pop smash "Maria Maria" (produced by Wyclef Jean) to the fiery, hard-rock collaboration "Smooth"-counterpart "Put Your Lights On" (with Everlast) and the soaring, 12-minute jam "The Calling" (featuring Eric Clapton), Supernatural seamlessly balanced mainstream radio polish with Carlos Santana’s timeless, spiritual guitar artistry.
Santana’s 1999 global phenomenon, Supernatural, represents one of the most successful commercial comebacks in music history, sweeping nine Grammy Awards and introducing Carlos Santana’s iconic Latin-rock guitar tone to an entirely new generation. Produced by legendary music executive Clive Davis alongside Carlos Santana, the album bridged Santana's classic Afro-Cuban rhythms and soaring guitar solos with late-90s pop, R&B, hip-hop, and alternative rock through a star-studded lineup of guest collaborators.
Carlos Santana’s guitar playing serves as the album's primary melodic anchor throughout every genre shift—defined by his signature PRS guitar tone, singing sustain, expressive wah-wah phrasing, and fluid Dorian-mode runs. Beneath the guest features lies Santana's classic, driving Latin percussion engine, led by Karl Perazzo on timbales, Raul Rekow on congas, and Rodney Holmes or Billy Johnson on drums, providing infectious Afro-Cuban grooves to every track.
From the multi-platinum, pop-funk juggernaut "Smooth" (featuring Rob Thomas) and the infectious Latin-pop smash "Maria Maria" (produced by Wyclef Jean) to the fiery, hard-rock collaboration "Smooth"-counterpart "Put Your Lights On" (with Everlast) and the soaring, 12-minute jam "The Calling" (featuring Eric Clapton), Supernatural seamlessly balanced mainstream radio polish with Carlos Santana’s timeless, spiritual guitar artistry.