Borboletta Explained

Borboletta
Type:studio
Artist:Santana
Cover:Borboletta.jpg
Released:October 1974
Genre:Jazz fusion
Length:49:52
Label:CBS
Producer:Carlos Santana, Michael Shrieve, Tom Coster
Prev Title:Greatest Hits
Prev Year:1974
Year:1974
Next Title:Amigos
Next Year:1976

Borboletta is the sixth studio album by the American Latin rock band Santana. It is one of their jazz-funk-fusion oriented albums, along with Caravanserai (1972), and Welcome (1973). Non-band albums by Carlos Santana in this style also include Love Devotion Surrender (1973) with John McLaughlin and Illuminations (1974) with Alice Coltrane, Jack DeJohnette and Jules Broussard. The guitarist leaves much room to percussion, saxophone and keyboards to set moods ("Spring Manifestations"), as well as lengthy solos by himself ("Promise of a Fisherman") and vocals ("Give and Take", a funky guitar-led song). The record was released in a metallic blue sleeve displaying a butterfly, an allusion to the album Butterfly Dreams (1973) by Brazilian musician Flora Purim and her husband Airto Moreira, whose contributions deeply influenced the sound of Borboletta. In Portuguese, borboleta means "butterfly".

Original bassist David Brown returned to replace Doug Rauch and vocalist/keyboardist Leon Patillo joined. After the album's completion, drummer Michael Shrieve left, to be replaced by Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, who had guested on parts of the album.

Track listing

Side two

Personnel

Airto Moreira and Flora Purim appear courtesy of CTI Records

Charts

Chart (1974–1975)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[1] 38
Italian Albums (Musica e Dischi)[2] 4
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[3] 11

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
  2. Web site: Classifiche. Musica e Dischi. it. June 6, 2024. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Santana".
  3. Book: Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Oricon Entertainment. Roppongi, Tokyo. 2006. 4-87131-077-9. ja.