Music Platters: Santana – Hymns For Peace (Eagle Vision/Shock) BD

Nice idea, this: get a superduper group of musos together to perform a selection of inspirational songs in the name of peace.

Yeah, nice idea. But somehow, nobody is at their best.

I mean, look at the roll-call: Carlos Santana, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ravi Coltrane, Patti Austin, Steve Winwood, Nile Rodgers… and the list goes on.

In reality, it’s about as good as if you got a pub full of competent but not-very-special session musicians together to do a bunch of covers. It’s that disappointing, really.

Personally, I really don’t want to hear very ordinary versions of Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and John Lennon songs. It’s a double-whammy disappointment that I have such huge respect for many of these musicians. The only time things light up a bit is when they haul John McLaughlin on for a duo of original material with Carlos Santana, and the axe-wielders tune in, if only for a moment, to their own musical mantras.

I’ve reviewed this before on DVD, but it’s certainly true that this 2004 Montreux date looks pretty good on Blu-ray disc, and sounds pretty good too.

It comes with three bonus tracks and an interview with Santana. GARY STEEL

Sound = 3.5

Vision = 3.5

DVD = 2.5