Malo CD

Malo's debut album remains their best and best-known work, primarily for the inclusion of the hit single "Suavecito." That track managed to make a Chicago-like pop-soul song sound hip with its smooth integration of Latin rhythms and irresistible "la la la" chorus. However, it represented just one facet of a band who, despite some expected similarities to Santana, played some of the most exciting and exuberant fusions of rock, soul, and Latin music. The six extended tracks (all clocking in at over six minutes apiece) leaned more heavily on hot Latin jazz brass than Santana did, though Jorge Santana himself generated plenty of friction with his burning electric guitar. It's not an exaggeration to state that by the time this came out in 1972, Malo's Latin rock blend sounded fresher than Santana's, if only because they sound hungrier and less formulaic than Santana did by that point. The Santana comparisons are unavoidable, though in this case it's to Malo's credit, as they too boasted a deft balance of improvisatory instrumental passages, solid multi-layered percussive rhythms, and emotional, romantic singing in both Spanish and English. The album has been reissued on CD as one of the discs in Rhino Handmade's Celebracion box set, with the addition of five bonus tracks, though those are merely edited single versions of songs on the LP. ~ Richie Unterberger

Jorge Santana is Carlos Santana's brother.

Malo: Arcelio Garcia, Jr., Jorge Santana (vocals); Abel Zarate (vocals, guitar); Roy Murray (trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, soprano saxophone); Luis Gasca (trumpet, flugelhorn); Richard Kermode (acoustic & electric piano, organ); Pablo Tellez (bass); Richard Spremich (drums).

Personnel: Abel Zarate (vocals, guitar); Luis Gasca (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn); Richard Bean (vocals, timbales, percussion); Arcello Garcia (vocals, percussion); Arcello Garcia, Jr. (vocals); Abel Zapate, Jorge Santana (guitar); Roy Murray (flute, soprano saxophone, trumpet, trombone); Ron Murray (horns); Richard Kermode (piano, electric piano, organ, keyboards); Richard Spremich (drums); Victor Pantoja (congas, bongos, percussion); Coke Escovedo, Pablo Tellez (percussion).

Audio Mixer: David Rubinson.

Photographer: Victor Aleman.

Unknown Contributor Role: Jesus Jelguera.

Arrangers: Abel Zarate; Pablo Tellez; Luis Gasca.

Additional personnel: Richard Bean (vocals, timbales); Coke Escovedo (timbales); Victor Pantoja (congas, bongos).Rolling Stone (4/27/72, p.49) - "This isn't bad. A hippie latino rock band...an octet with hot sauce..."
Q (9/00, pp.126-7) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...With the onus firmly on the groove rather than on melodic song structures....[It] sounds close to the latest chart-topping incantation of Santana..."