By Ken Paulson
Malo emerged into a crowded rock scene in 1971, but they had some advantages. Jorge Santana, one of the founding embers, was Carlo Santana’s younger and the band drew heavily on Latin percussion. But the Carlos connection was a mixed blessing; it was to easy to see the band as a Santana offshoot and not appreciate the vibrant music they made, fueled in large part by a horn section to rival Blood, Sweat and Tears and Chase.
That’s readily apparent on the new Malo compilation “Latin Bugaloo, the Warner Bros. Singles” from Omnivore.
The album – due May 25 – kicks off with “Sauvecito,” the gorgeous and laid-back single that rose to number 18 in the charts and the only real hit in the band’s career.
Oddly, the band didn’t return to that sound for a single release until much later, with “I Don’t Know” and “Love Will Survive.” By that time, Malo’s tenure with Warner Bros. was about to end.
“Latin Bugaloo” is a dynamic collection from an underappreciated band. 47-year-old music rarely sounds this fresh.
