RAUL MALO
RAUL MALO
[http://www.raulmalo.com]
Originally making his mark in the country music world and then slipping into the latin and jazz arenas via rock & roll, Raul Malo has proven to be an ever-expanding musical talent. Malo, born in Miami of Cuban parents, started playing bass guitar in high school and soon found his way into several small bands. In 1987, he make his first recording with the Basics, and one song, “Paperheart,” appeared on the promotional album, Unsigned. While the album wasn’t a success, the experience wet Malo’s appetite for more. Later in the 80′s, Malo and a high school friend, Robert Reynolds, joined together to form their own country band, the Mavericks. This band went on to become one of the outstanding country bands of the 90′s. MCA Records signed the band in May 1991, when they played their first gig in Nashville. Many of the bands singles reached the Top 40. Music for All Occassions, released in 1995, made gold. The Mavericks eventually won a Grammy and the Country Music Association named the band Top Vocal Group twice. As Malo began to integrate latin rhythms into his songwriting during the latter part of the 90′s, the band became an eclectic mix of rockabilly, honky tonk, tejano, native cuban, and country. The MCA label continued to release the Mavericks albums and singles throughout the 90′s with the final compilation being the 20th Century Masters. By 2000, Malo had become a producer with Ethan Allen and K.T. Ostin, and joined, Los Super Seven as a lead vocalist and songwriter, in addition to working with the latin singer Rick Trevino in his studios. Malo’s first album as a solo artist, Today, reflects his cuban background but doesn’t entirely leave out the deep-twang guitar of country music. His exuberance flows as he mingles the pop sounds of the 60′s with salsa and country. He returned to the studio for You’re Only Lonely, and, After Hours in 2006, and 2007 respectively. Lucky One followed in 2009. Although it may not be realistic to mix everything in music together, it makes sense to Malo and he succeeds in doing it. He sees only a fine line between rock & roll, country, and salsa rhythms. Because he loves all kinds of music and doesn’t like classifying tunes into set genres, his music will undoubtedly continue to slip in and out of the varius rhythms, crossing cultures and blurring musical boundries.