Carlos Santana once likened his penchant for exploring different musical genres to a mountain climber's obsession with mountains. So long as part of a mountain range — or the musical equivalent — lies uncharted, there remains a challenge to be met. Over the course of fourteen albums, Santana and the various versions of his band have indeed explored many areas of contemporary music. The music on Shangó, much like the group's 1981 smash, Zebop!, ranges from Latino chants and instrumentals to near-jazz — here, with a bit more synthesized polish to it — to rock, including an upbeat cover of Junior Walker's "What Does It Take (to Win Your Love)." As usual, the percussion section churns impeccably and Santana's guitar-playing shines.

There is a cost to Carlos Santana's eclecticism, however, and it is evident on Shangó. Precisely because he has chosen no distinct stylistic route for his band, the music often lacks distinction altogether. At times, in fact, the playing seems so formulaic Santana could easily be mistaken for one of the faceless bands that now dominate the airwaves. Santana may be winning new fans and airplay with this sort of musical potpourri, but he's not reaching any new musical peaks.

“Everyday People”

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.