Blueberry Hill

Raul Malo

April 3, 2010

 

Originally making his mark in the county 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. In the '80s, Malo and a high school friend, Robert Reynolds (bass), joined together to form their own country band, based on their mutual love for Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Patsy Cline. Paul Deakin, with experience in several progressive rock bands, became the drummer, and the group chose the name the Mavericks. Many of the bands singles reached the Top 40, with "O What a Thrill" making number 18 in the summer of 1994 and "There Goes My Heart" reaching number 20. Music for All Occasions, released in 1995, made gold. The Mavericks eventually won a Grammy and the Country Music Association named it the Top Vocal Group twice.  As Malo began to integrate Latin rhythms into his songwriting during the latter part of the '90s, the albums picked up more Havana influence, leaving the country rhythms in the shadows. The band became an eclectic mix of rockabilly, honky tonk, tejano, native Cuban, and country. During the later years of the '90s, Malo began doing parallel solo work.  Malo's first solo recording, "Bailare (El Merecumbe)," was self-penned in Spanish, and he also did a solo recording of "Downbound Train" by Bruce Springsteen. When the Country Music Association needed a voice that could handle singing all the different hits of those being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, they called on Malo because of his ability to handle diverse rhythms. 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. Malo sings Today in both Spanish and English, reflecting calypso, carnival, jazz, salsa, and country influences playing out the theme of universal love. Malo also covered "Black Is Black," a Latin rock hit, on Los Straitjackets' 2001 album, and sang on Raffi's compilation of country songs for children. Malo 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 various rhythms, crossing cultures and blurring musical boundaries.