Original Album Classics Illumin Ations/Oneness: Silver Dreams - Gold En Reality/The Swing

This little box set is great value, especially if you love the fusion side of Carlos Santana. In fact I enjoyed this so much on the first listen it is hard to decide which one to spin again first! I had owned Illuminations on vinyl previously and it's as great as I recalled. Swing of Delight (a two record set on a single CD)is new to me. You won't find much of the classic Santana sound here but this is one of Carlos's finest accomplishments. The thing I find interesting about this music is that it appeared AFTER the Santana band proper had returned to a more air play consumer friendly sound. As a musician who dabbles with jazz I feel this music is far more interesting. I just wish he'd continue releasing the solo stuff like thisIt's fusion but it does not sound particularly dated like a lot of fusion from that era does. I have a theory about why. Electronic instruments at this time were out of date by the time a record was released because the technology changed so quickly. So many artists fell victim to the synth thing. What sounded great at the time sounds a lot like Nintendo game music today. Tom Coster was not overly indulgent with synthesizers and when he did use them he used additional pedals and a touch technique that produced a very organic sound. For example the synth on Dance Sister Dance sounds like a guitar rather than a mini moog Coster was known for this ability in the Santana band. So Swing will get lots of rotation from me. Oneness is great stuff too but a little unusual. In places it reminds me of Weather Report lineup #3 Some have compared it to Borboletta (one of my favorites) but I really don't hear that at all. Still, I like the entire album. The sound on these CD's is very good try not to get hung up on is it or isn't it remastered. With these box sets you get whatever the latest edition of the CdD single release might happen to be. You can't go wrong at this price.Now some reviewers complain about no liner notes or credits with these 3 and 5 album value sets. Nonsense! Let the music speak and if you want to see personnel all of these are documented on Wikipedia. The mini Lp sleeves are sturdy and pretty cool. I do miss this fusion side of Carlos Santana and do wish he would stop trying to repeat the success of Supernatural and get back to making more of this great music. In the meantime we have these. I thought Carlos' fusion was abandoned after Borboletta so discovering Swing of Delight and Oneness was finding more of that great work. My favorite Santana works are: Caravanserai, Welcome, Lotus, Borboletta, Amigos. If you like those then you will like this box set a lot.

Hi, I just want to add a quick note to those who might be wondering if these cds are all "remasters." I found that if a specific album in the set has been remastered, then you'll get that in these boxes. For the boxset of Caravanserai, Love Devotion & Surrender, Welcome, Borboletta, and Amgios, the remasters would be Caravanserai, Love Devotion & Surrender, and Welcome. For Borboletta and Amigos you get the same sound as the 2008 Sony SBME Special Markets cds, which I think still sounds great. Now you may be saying, wait Amigos and Borboletta have been remastered, right but only in Japan. Unfortunately you don't get those versions in these EU Import sets, or else they would be a HUGE value!I A/B'd this set with my Sony Legacy remasters of Caravenserai, Love Devotion & Surrender, and Welcome, and they were the same sound. I A/B'd Amigos and Borboletta with my Sony SBME special markets 2008 reissues, and they too were identical. This was in a JBL car audio system. I too am into the remasters and collect Japan mini-lps, but the SBME special markets of the two in this set do sound great. You can crank it up and it's not too loud, and it's not too weak either.Here's an update for the other boxes in the Santana series. For the box of Inner Secrets, Marathon, Zebop, Shango, and Freedom you will get the regular nonremastered Sony BMG reissues. Marathon, Zebop, and Shango have been remastered by Friday Music in the USA but those versions are not in this classic series set. Inner Secrets will have the 12" disco mix of "One Chain." To get the LP mix of "One Chain," you have to buy the Inner Secrets 2010 Japanese minilp DSD remaster (SICP-2875).For the boxset of Illuminations, Oneness, and Swing of Delight, you once again get the regular nonremastered Sony BMG reissues. Swing of Delight has been remastered by Friday Music in the USA (not the version in this classic series).Finally for the set of Havana Moon, Beyond Appearances, and Spirits Dancing In The Flesh, you get the regular nonremastered Sony BMG reissues. All in all a great value for around 10 bucks!

When you love the music of someone like Carlos Santana who has released in excess of 40 albums, when paying full price you start to become a little more cautious. However when you have a multi-album deal like this at this price, how can you not jump in. Obviously with any musician or artist they need to agree to a deal like this and so I really appreciate his commitment to his loyal fans. With 23 of his albums purchased over the last 40 years so far, I will keep buying because of the pleasure his music and harmonies bring me.

Not your typical Santana, I like these albums and own copies of most major label releases of Santana. Nice price to enjoy these albums but you do lose the album liners and notes. I knew this when I bought these so I am completely satisfied with my purchase. It's just 4 stars because there are many other Santana albums I would recommend before these.

you cant beat the value on this set. Illuminations is unavailable out of print good luck getting a copy for less than 30 bucks. All three are great fusion workouts with Carlos's signature guitar style. These albums all came after "Love Devotion and Surrender"with McLaughlin and John's influence is all over these three albums in my opinion. Oneness has a couple numbers with odd poppy vocals and new-age spiritual lyrics but the rest of the album is solid jazz fusion. All three remain among my favorite Santana albums, solo or group.

Use to have a cassette copy of Silver Dreams that I played over and over in my car. Just searing guitar playing. Swing of Delight is almost as good. Illuminations is just weird but there is some inspired string bending going on.

I rarely ever write a review, and with some hesitancy, I gave these a listen. Love them, but then again I love Carlos when He explores His Jazz and Fusion side.

Yes! Is totally relaxing to ear every album in this item collection.Santana sos grande, que sonido, wanderful!

The collaboration with Alice Coltrane on Illuminations is probably the last time the once great Carlos Santana played close to heart. Wonderful string orchestrations which depart into unexpected avenues. It's an essential album and it's cheaper to buy in this box set than on its own. This album alone gets it the four stars. the other two are frankly a load of old dross. Usual cheapo packaging but okay replica of the original album covers. Worth it for the one album.

Typical Santana work of that time. I would give Mr. Santana four stars for his work on these albums. Good, not great.I deduct one star because the product lacks any liner notes.

All Santana is good, but these are not the best . . . .

Well worth a listen.

Cheap presentation. Could have been remastered, but it was cheap to buy, so no complaints really.