Album of the Day
Celebracion: The Warner Bros. Recordings
Originally a Bay Area R&B group called The Malibus, Malo was among the first wave of Latin-influenced rock bands in the early 1970s. Led by singer-guitarist Jorge Santana (Carlos' brother), the band signed to Warner Bros. and promptly produced a classic self-titled debut album and Top 20 single, “Suavecito,” which decades later would be sampled in Sugar Ray's chart-topping “Every Morning.” CELEBRACIÓN: THE WARNER BROS. RECORDINGS takes the story from there; the 4-disc set include all four of the group's albums (MALO, DOS, EVOLUTION and ASCENCIÓN), all of their non-LP single versions and a previously unreleased edit of "Pana,” all remastered from the original tapes. With a stronger jazz influence than most of their Latin rock brethren, Malo carved out a distinctive niche during their original two-year lifespan, and this comprehensive and highly listenable set is truly cause for CELEBRACIÓN.