My criteria for being a great guitarist is if you can tell exactly who's playing in just a few notes; someone who's SOUND is like their DNA. Carlos is definitely in that category.
BB King
Albert King
Freddie King
Buddy Guy
Eric Clapton
Peter Green
Lindsey Buckingham
Mark Knopfler
Steve Howe
Jimi Hendrix
Carlos Santana
Eddie Van Halen
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Neil Young
Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
All have that "fingerprint" tone that makes them recognizable upon hearing only a few notes of their playing. Not all are "technical wizards" (i.e. Neil Young), but you sure can tell who's playing a mile away.
There are things about Carlos' playing I don't care for (his insistance on overly drenching his guitar with reverb...but, then that's part of his "trademark"), and he's not anywhere near the guitarist he WAS 20 or so years ago...due to that he's found his niche and has gotten comfortable. Back in the mid-70s, when he was playing more jazz-fusion material (Like the "Love, Devotion & Surrender" album he did with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin), he had some INCREDIBLE chops...since then he's found a simpler sound and has stuck with it. Like Peter Green & Eric Clapton, he CAN play "like he used to", but CHOOSES not to.
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Among God's creations, two, the dog and the guitar, have taken all the sizes and all the shapes in order not to be separated from the man.---Andres Segovia
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