The big problem I have w/Santana is that he's been putting out albums for close to 40yrs now and he sounds (from a technical standpoint) like he hasn't grown as a player at all. Doesn't he ever practice? (must be too busy designing womens footware).
If you want to hear Santana get blown to peices check out the album he did w/John McGlauchlin (sp?) in the 70's. Santana is way out of his league on that one.
On a positive note, the whole latin-rock thing w/the percussion & all is very cool, and he does put a lot of expression into his lines.