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Malo "Suavecito"


tpj1965

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Malo was formed by Carlos Santana's brother Jorge. This was their only hit. Most members of the band were from the San Francisco music scene.

Malo is Spanish for "bad," but is also Mayan for good. There is a large Mayan community in San Francisco.

In 1972 when "Suavecito" was released, the lead singer on "Suavecito" was Richard Bean and Abel Zarate on background and Jorge Santana doing dual leads with Abel Zarate. Abel and Richard Bean wrote the hit song.

Malo was a Latin based rock and roll group. The San Francisco-based ensemble was led by Jorge Santana, the brother of famed Latin-Rock guitarist Carlos Santana. Malo had a Top 20 hit with the song "Suavecito" in 1972; this song was written by timbale player Richard Bean, bassist Pablo Tellez, and Abel Zarate. Lead singer Arcelio Garcia, Jr., and guitarist Abel Zarate gave Malo a distinctive two-guitar sound, with intricate harmony and dual solos the norm. The band featured full horn and percussion sections, in the style of contemporary bands Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago and others. Some of the best musicians in the bay area played in Malo, including Forrest Buchtel, Jr. Luis Gasca, and Tom Harrell in the trumpet section. Their songs had a huge following in Central and South America, especially Chevere, Nena, Pana, Cafe and Oye Mama. A well-documented rift in the mid-1970s saw the group eliminate the white musicians in favor of an entirely Chicano band. The band still tours today with the original three leaders. Buchtel went on to play with Blood, Sweat and Tears, Jaco Pastorius and Woody Herman - Harrell has become one of the most lyrical trumpet soloists of all-time, working often with saxophonist Phil Woods. Abel Zarate went on to play with Latin-jazz legend Willie Bobo and continues to play Latin-tinged jazz in San Francisco with his group Zarate Pollace Project.

From Wikipedia

Malo: Suavecito to Latin Legends

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