The Swing of Delight

Released in 1980, The Swing of Delight is a significant departure from the commercial rock sound Santana was pursuing with his band at the time. Credited to 'Devadip' Carlos Santana, the name given to him by his guru Sri Chinmoy, the album is a dedicated spiritual jazz project. It features an extraordinary lineup of musicians, many of whom were alumni of Miles Davis's second great quintet, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. This ensemble provides a sophisticated, post-bop foundation that allows Santana to explore melodic phrasing influenced by Indian classical music and spiritual devotion. The album includes interpretations of Sri Chinmoy's compositions alongside jazz standards like the 'Love Theme From Spartacus.' While it was a commercial outlier, it is highly regarded by jazz fusion aficionados for its pristine production and the high level of interplay between the legendary performers.