Studio Album · No. 24
Shape Shifter
Produced by Carlos Santana, Eric Bazilian, Walter Afanasieff
Santana wrote 11 of 13 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 11 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Santana carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Shape Shifter is a largely instrumental album built almost entirely from compositions by Carlos Santana and his band, with only "Eres La Luz" carrying lead vocals from Andy Vargas and Tony Lindsay. After a run of guest-vocalist records aimed at radio, Santana used the album to return to a guitar-led sound, foregrounding his playing over the touring band of Chester Thompson, Benny Rietveld, Dennis Chambers, Karl Perazzo, and Raul Rekow. It was the first release on his own Starfaith label and the first Santana album since 1992's Milagro without guest singers across the bulk of the songs. "Mr. Szabo" pays tribute to jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo, an early influence on Santana's tone and phrasing.
Shape Shifter is the twenty-second studio album by Santana, released in 2012 on Sony Masterworks. The album is almost entirely instrumental, a deliberate return to the meditative, jazz-influenced spirit of Caravanserai and Welcome, and it represents one of Carlos Santana's most personal records in decades. With no guest vocalists or commercial pop hooks, Shape Shifter allowed the guitar to speak completely on its own terms, delivering a collection of original compositions that showcased Santana's tonal mastery and melodic instinct without distraction. The album received strong reviews from jazz and rock critics who appreciated the purity of the approach and the emotional depth Carlos Santana achieved without a single lyric. Shape Shifter stands as one of his finest late-career statements.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Shape Shifter
|
Carlos Santana | Carlos Santana | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 2 |
Dom
|
Hamidou TouréOusmane TouréIsmaila TouréTidiane Sixu Touré | Hamidou TouréOusmane TouréIsmaila TouréTidiane Sixu Touré | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 3 |
Nomad
|
Carlos Santana | Carlos Santana | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 4 |
Metatron
|
Carlos Santana | Carlos Santana | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 5 |
Angelica Faith
|
Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson | Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 6 |
Never the Same Again
|
Carlos SantanaEric Bazilian | Carlos SantanaEric Bazilian | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 7 |
In the Light of a New Day
|
Carlos SantanaNarada Michael Walden | Carlos SantanaNarada Michael Walden | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 8 |
Spark of the Divine
|
Carlos Santana | Carlos Santana | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 9 |
Macumba in Budapest
|
Carlos SantanaWalter Afanasieff | Carlos SantanaWalter Afanasieff | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 10 |
Mr. Szabo
|
Carlos Santana | Carlos Santana | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 11 |
Eres La Luz
|
Carlos SantanaWalter AfanasieffAndy VargasKarl Perazzo | Carlos SantanaWalter AfanasieffAndy VargasKarl Perazzo | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 12 |
Canela
|
Carlos SantanaSalvador Santana | Carlos SantanaSalvador Santana | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |
| 13 |
Ah, Sweet Dancer
|
Micheal O Suilleabhain | Micheal O Suilleabhain | Carlos SantanaEric BazilianWalter Afanasieff | Carlos Santana |