JORGE SANTANA “HERE I AM” CD REVIEW
© Jim McCarthy October 2009

Here I Am is the recently released “from the vaults” compilation put together by Jorge and released on his own Misha label. It follows on from his two earlier solo recordings originally recorded for Tomato Records in New York and also re-issued on CD and available on Misha and from his new website jorgesantana.com.

Here I Am is divided into five musical ventures and opens with five songs with a definite eighties feeling in production style and arrangements with big keyboard sounds and a solid band featuring Walter Afanasieff on keys/vocals plus Phil Anastasia on Lead vocals. It features Gary Brown on bass plus Yogi Newman and Rick Lawton on congas& percussion and drums respectively.

Once Is Not Enough/Para Ti opens the CD and the remastered sound quality is decent considering these are studio demos. The song has a lilting Latin cha-cha feel. In common with Jorge’s output at this time, it falls on the R&B and pop side of the musical fence. This song furthers the Latin cha-cha feel with a raspy, fluent and sharp guitarra solo by Jorge, over the refrain of “Para Ti, Para ti”. The next tune, Isolation has a jaunty funky and light summery feel, the band also managed to fit in a five-week tour around the New York area while these demos were being shopped. The “title” track Here I Am is a mid-tempo piece that didn’t lift me particularly but is competent and features an arrangement steeped in synth washes. Runaway Love has that AOR sound typical of that era with big backing chords by Jorge, It has a rousing chorus and a sound not unlike Carlos’ output around the Inner Secrets/Marathon recorded era. Tell Me Love is another up-tempo with a great vocal by Walter aka Dean Parrish, Jorge plays fifties style rhythm guitar licks on here.

For my money the jewels on this CD follow with Jorge’s collaboration with the Mission District group Puro Bandido. Casa Bandido is pure Latino magic! It starts with a three chord, slightly melancholic refrain with excellent guitar atmospherics by Jorge and Johnny Gunn, before breaking into a salsa inflected joyous song, featuring Richard Segovia (previously of the TNT band) on timbales and Rafael Ramirez on congas and Angel Orozco on drum kit!
This is truly a great cut, both fully steeped in the San Franciscan Latino-Mission tradition but with a fresh and uplifting vibe. The song kicks with excellent compressed vocals. Superb horns and arrangement see this song would not be out of place on one of Carlos’ recent stellar releases. They name check Puerto Rico, Salvador and the Mission thru this great
and very danceable song. Jorge plays a dreamy and soulful guitar break over the middle eight and is followed by a great trombone solo. One would really like to hear Puro Bandido releasing some more stuff- this is excellent. It fades with a guitar break by Johnny Gunn-top notch!!

Latin Lover follows with a Jose Santana  (Tony Santana, Jorge’s older brother is Jose’s father making him Jorge’s nephew) rap over another Puro Bandido arrangement. This is another smoking cut which strides confidently along with superb excellent ensemble playing, including backing vocals by Heather Lauren and The Herrera Sisters.
A cascara timbale rhythm by Richard Segovia propels this cut along with a supreme gusto and features another Jorge solo full of controlled fire, followed by a flourishing keyboard solo by Steve Salinas. Yet another musical high point on this CD.

Rainbows Of Love is notable for a closely recorded conga tumbao by Yogi Newman (apparently Newman had an even bigger afro-head than Mike Carabello or Arcelio Garcia and is these days living a hermetic life, out of the music scene) and it would be great to hear congas recorded with this “loudness’ more often. This also features a stirring Jorge solo over a double time vamp.

The fourth set of tunes feature old Malo running mate Richard Bean on chief vocals and song writing. It also features Ron DeMasi from the last two Malo albums on Warner (Evolution & Ascension)
Bar Of Five instrumental shows DeMasi playing some synth and other keyboard clavinet style solo funkiness over a driving beat, the is a real cooker and these recordings hail from 1977 and were demoed at San Francisco’s CBS Studios in Folsom Street. The drummer Jerry Marshall wrote this cut and these could be DeMasi’s last recorded performances.
Sandy and Darling I Love You, originally featured on the Jorge Santana solo release, are given a different dance mix airing here and shows Bean’s pop take on Latin, with an almost Neil Sedaka feel to proceedings, with an ample disco-style beat produced by Tony Bongiovi and Bob Clearmountain.

Of great interest to Malo fans are two cuts from Sesame Street, Bienvenidos (Welcome) and Show Me How You Feel (Como To Sientes) featuring the redoubtable Tony Smith on drums and Lead vocals along with Jorge. Welcome is great as it aims to teach a person listening basic Spanish. It has great (Ascension era-Malo) horns and a pumping Pablo Tellez bass aided and abetted by Jorge on a nice piercing solo. A cool way to round off this varied CD package.

For guitar followers Jorge has added information on the guitars and amps used thru-out these recordings.

I had a conversation with Jorge about the future and he aims to release at least two more CD’s of material next year. He informed me he had been listening to archive recorded with Richard Kermode and Pablo Tellez from 1981 and another piece (A Bit Of Spice) recorded with Karl Perazzo, both among others, which should find their way onto the next CD release in 2010.
Of great interest is the Malo “fifth” set of recordings demoed after Ascension in San Francisco (not to be confused with Malo 5 released in New York on Traq Records, under the name of Arcelio Garcia) and featuring Pablo, Ron De Masi, Butch Haynes on percussion. Further down the line Jorge is planning to release these rarities and I know all Mission Latino heads will be looking forward to hearing this historical material.

Tags: Arcelio Garcia, Carlos Santana, Jorge Santana, Latin Rock, Malo, Mission District, NEW YORK, Pablo Tellez, Puro Bandido, Richard Bean, Ron De Masi, San Francisco, Santana, Sesame Street, Tony Smith

Please find some mock-ups plus information on new Jorge Santana Webspace with forum and new CD release to follow.

Further review details will be posted, after we have had time to listen to the the upcoming CD. It features rare and unreleased material from his career, varying from 80’s and 90’s studio material Plus later stuff with Puro Bandidos etc……

We look forward to the possible release in the future of unreleased material that would have formed the recording of a follow- up to Malo’s Ascension, album,
which we believe was recorded in 1974 and 1975 period.
© Jim McCarthy- September 2009.

Tags: Ascension, Brothers, Jorge Santana, Love The Way, Malo, Pablo Tellez, Richard Bean, Sacred Fire, Santana, Suavecito, Tomato Records

by Mark Guerrero
Posted on March 19, 2006 by RDSMarketing

Malo is one of the most successful and enduring Latin rock bands in the world. In 2003, they celebrated their 31st anniversary. Their biggest hit, “Suavecito” reached number 18 on the Billboard charts in April of 1972. They’ve played all over the world and have performed on the bill with the Rolling Stones and Queen. Malo has at least ten albums to their credit and continue to tour. In 1997, along with Tierra and El Chicano, they recorded a live album called “Latin Legends Live.” The three bands have toured extensively since as “Latin Legends.”

To get the story of Malo, it begins with lead singer Arcelio Garcia. Arcelio was born in Puerto Rico and moved to San Francisco with his family when he was three years old. When he was a teenager, some friends of his had a singing group and asked him to sing with them because their baritone had gone into the army. Arcelio didn’t know if he could sing, but said he’d give it a shot. He found that he liked it and started to learn from his more experienced friends. One day a car drove by while Arcelio was singing on the sidewalk with his group. The driver told Arcelio he liked his voice and asked him if he would join his band. Arcelio checked it out and joined the band called the Malibus, named after the sporty Chevrolet. They went on to become a very well known and popular band in the Bay area in the mid-sixties. At first they played mainly r&b, but later started to add Latin music to the mix. Three or four years into the career of the Malibus, a guitarist was brought in by the name of Jorge Santana, the brother of the already famous Carlos Santana.

In 1970 the Malibus changed their name to Malo and things started happening. By 1971, they were signed to Warner Brothers Records and recorded their first album, which was simply entitled “Malo” (BS-2584). Arcelio co-wrote four of the six songs, including their classics “Nena” and “Cafe.” Released in 1972, “Malo” also included “Suavecito,” which had evolved from a song they had written and been doing in clubs called “My Love.” One of the band members at the time, Richard Bean, wrote a new lyric which gave birth to a major hit record. Malo members Pablo Tellez and Abel Zarate also got credit for the composition. “Suavecito” led to world tours and laid the groundwork for their career of three decades so far. The members on the first album were: Arcelio Garcia, lead vocals; Jorge Santana, lead guitar; Abel Zarate, lead guitar, vocals; Pablo Tellez, bass; Richard Spremich, drums; Richard Kermode, keyboards; Luis Gasca, trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals; and Roy Murray, 2nd trumpet, trombone, flute and sax. Guest musicians included Coke Escovedo, timbales; Victor Pantoja, congas; and Richard Bean, timbales and lead vocal on “Suavecito.” Malo has always had a “melting pot” of an ethnic mix, with Chicanos, Anglos, and people of Puerto Rican, Nicaraguan, and Philippino descent.

Later in 1972, Warner Brothers released Malo’s second album, “Dos” (BS 2652), followed by “Evolution” (BS 2702) in 1973. In 1974, Arcelio was incorrectly diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. It turned out to be yellow jaundice, but he was unable to sing for a year. This was the period when Little Willie G., formerly of Thee Midniters of East L.A., came in and became lead singer for Malo. Willie did one album entitled “Ascención” (BS 2769) and toured with the band. This album was Malo’s last with Warner Brothers. Back in good health, Arcelio, who owns the Malo name and logo, moved to New York and started a new Malo. This resulted in the release of Malo V in 1981. Arcelio then came back to the west coast, where he has been based ever since. In 1986, Malo had an album called “Coast To Coast” on the Blue Heron label. “Señorita” was released on GNP Crescendo Records in 1995. In 1997, two live albums were issued, “Malo Rocks the Rockies,” on an independent label, and “Latin Legends Live,” on Thump Records, featuring Malo, Tierra, and El Chicano.

It was recorded live at The Hop in Puente Hills and it has sold very well, according to Arcelio. Malo has gone through many personell changes over the years, but Arcelio is the one constant. Jorge Santana, played with Malo for three or four years in the early 70s. Since then he’s had his own bands and has performed often with his brother, Carlos. He’s also had albums out, including 1978’s “Jorge Santana” and 1979’s “It’s All About Love,” both on Tomato Records. In 1994, Jorge was on an album with Carlos and their nephew, Carlos Hernandez, entitled “The Santana Brothers” on Island Records. In the last several years Jorge plays often with Malo. In fact, he just performed with Malo last weekend, on March 29, 2003 at the Star Plaza Theater in Merrillville, Indiana.

Malo’s current lineup includes: Arcelio Garcia, lead vocals; Julian Molina, bass; David George, drums; Gabriel Manzo, lead guitar; Jay Rossette, 2nd lead guitar; Daniel Cervantes, keyboards; Frank Bailey, lead trumpet; Pete Rodriguez, trumpet; Steve Rocha, trombone; Gibby Ross, timbales; and Tony Menjivar, congas. Another addition to the current Malo is Arcelio’s son, Octaviano, who’s an excellent singer and performer in his own right. He and Arcelio work very well together. My band, Mark Guerrero & Radio Aztlán, performed twice on the bill with Malo in 2002. The first time at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, California and the second at The Hop in Puente Hills, California. Believe me, the current Malo is great and can rock the house. Their music ranges from romantic ballads to high energy Latin grooves. I met Arcelio at the second concert at The Hop and spoke to him about doing this article. I’m also on an album with Malo called “The Chicano Alliance” on Our Town Records (1998), which includes my songs “On the Boulevard” and “Rosalie” and Malo’s “Lady I Love.”

Malo has given back to the community by doing many benefits for schools and other good causes over the years. They recently raised $35,000 to refurbish public baseball fields for Latino teams in the bay area. Arcelio is also proud of the fact that some of Malo’s music, including two songs he co-wrote, “Nena” and “Cafe,” are in college music text books. He jokingly says that was the only way he was going to get to college. In 1999, longtime Malo members Gabe Manzo and Tony Menjivar formed a faith based band. Since Malo means “bad,” they named their band, Bueno, which means “good.” The bands Malo and Bueno have a close connection, but are separate entities and completely different in the mission and purpose of their music. Arcelio, who became a Christian about three years ago, occasionally sings with Bueno, but is not a regular member. Speaking of good, a few years ago, the band Sugar Ray recorded a hit song called “Every Morning,” which used the vocal hook from “Suavecito.” Unlike many other artists, Malo did not have to go to court to get their share. Everything was handled properly up front. It turns out, Sugar Ray’s lead singer, Mark McGrath, had seen Malo play at a car show when he was a kid. McGrath was taken to the show by his father, who was as big Malo fan and loved the song “Suavecito.”

Malo has some reissue collections available. GNP Crescendo Records released “The Best of Malo” (GNPD 2205) in 1991 and Rhino Records issued a boxed set called “Celebración!,” which includes Malo’s first four albums. Also, Malo’s 1995 CD on GNP Crescendo Records, “Señorita,” (GNPD 2244) is still available on the net at: www.gnpcrescendo.com. As for the future, Malo will be back in the studio in two weeks to record a brand new album on Arcelio’s new label, Olam, which is Malo backwards. They’re also doing a dvd with VH1, which will include clips of various television appearances Malo did in the early 70s such as, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, and “The Midnight Special.” VH1’s cameras will also follow Malo around on tour for the dvd.

This article is based on an audiotaped telephone interview by Mark Guerrero with Arcelio Garcia on March 28, 2003.

Tags: Abel Zarate, Malo, Mark Guerrero, Pablo Tellez, Richard Bean, Suavecito