I grew up listening to Santana: my father tells me stories of driving his audio-repair van across B.C. listening to Carlos and the band, and we had numerous singles on the jukebox my dad installed at home. Somehow few acts have replicated that propulsive combination of Afro-Latin rhythms, Hammond organ, and lyrical, searing guitar. “El Campo” (4.4 MB MP3 file, 3 minutes 48 seconds) is my best shot, and “If there ever was a track that showed homage to another, this is it,” writes Les Thorn, who mastered it for me. I hope so. I’ve named it in honour of the upcoming BarCamp Vancouver 2006 as well.

This is the first Penmachine Podcast track I’ve recorded using Logic Express, which permits tempo changes, instead of GarageBand, which doesn’t. Everything except the guitar is built from loops and samples; the guitar itself is my trusty Godin LG, piped through my SansAmp GT2 amp simulator pedal and MXR Phase 90 phase shifter. I recorded it in two takes and mixed back and forth between them to highlight the best guitar bits.

“El Campo” is available via iTunes and on the Podsafe Music Network. © 2006 by Derek K. Miller (SOCAN), Mastered by Les Thorn in New York City. Thanks to Carlos Santana and his classic band for the inspiration too.