Gregg Rolie

Five Days

When your voice entwines with classic rock radio DNA as original Santana band vocalist Greg Rolie’s did on “Oye Como Va,” “Evil Ways,” and “Black Magic Woman,” every song thereafter summons nostalgia retroactively. Now ensconced in the Hill Country outside of Austin (see “Of a Lifetime,” Sept. 25, 2009), the longtime Californian with the eternally stoney, altar-of-rock vox “Re-looked, recorded, re-claimed” an EP’s worth of his extensive catalog on Five Days. The pianist’s solo recital opens in a New York state of mind on Peter Green’s “Black Magic Woman,” then moves from the Santana staple to his other calling card, early Journey, getting smoky here for “Anytime,” from 1978’s Infinity. If “Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore” sounds like a Gershwin composition, that speaks to Rolie’s compositional ability. Richard M. Jones’ “Trouble in Mind” slots in nicely, the stamp of Rolie’s distinctive intonation making it instantly familiar. A lifetime in 23 minutes.

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This article appears in April 29 • 2011.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.