Caravanserai

Caravanserai gives Santana’s instrumental interplay more room than the compact singles that introduced the band to so many listeners. Percussion and guitar carry much of the conversation, with the arrangements often stretching beyond a verse and chorus.

Released in 1972, it belongs to the part of the catalogue where a full album reveals more than a quick sample. Follow the changes in pace and the space between the lead lines. The rhythms hold the music together even as the foreground keeps shifting.