On Zebop!, a Santana band featuring newcomer Richard Baker on keyboards
tried to preserve the better elements of the first and third trilogies of Santana
albums — there was a heavy component of Latin-flavored percussion topped by Carlos'
biting lead guitar work, and there were also three pop cover songs in Cat Stevens'
"Changes," and J.J. Cale's "The Sensitive Kind," and Russ Ballard's "Winning." The
double strategy worked. "Winning" (#17) became Santana's first Top 20 single in a
decade, "The Sensitive Kind" (#56) also charted, and the album was Santana's first
Top Ten, gold-selling hit in four years. |