Raul Malo Gets Personal Over the Political

By John Roos

Raul Malo released his debut solo album in 2007 and titled it “Lucky One,” a reference to the title-track’s protagonist and his good fortune in the often perilous game of love.

Fast-forward 12 years and there’s no doubt the times have been good to the singer-songwriter-guitarist who will soon be leading his twice-reformed Americana band, the Mavericks, on a 30th anniversary celebration tour. The genre-defying group that formed in Miami in 1989 plays a unique mix of country, pop, Tex-Mex, Cuban, swing, salsa, Tejano, rock, and blues has seized control of their creative and business endeavors since forming their own label, Mono Mundo Recordings, in 2016.

On a personal note, the Nashville-based Malo has been married to his wife, Betty, for over 25 years and the couple has three sons. He also has the liberty to indulge in a brief solo acoustic tour that comes Friday night to the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.

You do have to wonder, is he now the lucky one?

“Absolutely, I couldn’t be happier and the freedom we (Mavericks) have now is just great,” answered Malo during a recent phone interview. “We color outside the lines a little bit and live between the cracks where we’re painting with a blank canvas. What you sacrifice commercially you make up for creatively. I wouldn’t trade it for the world because we’re having more fun than we’ve ever had as a band.”

The Mavericks emerged as one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful alt-country groups of the early '90s. After their first two albums failed to gain much traction, they hit their stride with 1994's “What a Crying Shame,” their breakthrough release that was a grand showcase for the rich, emotive vocals of Malo and the band's eclectic approach. That album peaked at number 6 and spawned four singles that landed in the Country Top 40, earning them some freedom to expand their sound on 1995's aptly-titled “Music for All Occasions.”

But subsequent releases experienced a drop in sales and internal tensions led the band to a break-up in 2003. Malo then embarked on a solo career with his six releases spanning 10 years, including his most stylistically ambitious, 2010’s “Sinners and Saints.” As Malo began writing material for his follow-up solo project the next year, he explained how a “perfect storm scenario” emerged where the new songs sounded like they belonged on a new Mavericks record. So, after re-enlisting his old bandmates, these songs formed the core of “In Time,” the first album released in 2013 by the re-formed Mavericks on Big Machine Records.

The Mavericks-also featuring lead guitarist Eddie Perez, drummer Paul Deakin and keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden—followed “In Time” with “Mono” (2016) and “Brand New Day” (2017)--plus “Live All Night Vol. 1” (2016) and last year’s holiday collection, “Hey! Merry Christmas!” This jazzier, Latin-leaning, horn-flavored body of work since re-forming demonstrates just how fresh-sounding and relevant the band remains today.

“It’s really a blessing,” Malo continued, “in that we don’t have the problem of bands that get back together who rely on past hits because we’re offering new stuff that means something to people. That’s all you can hope for as an artist because when you create, write and record new material, that’s the music you want to perform live. We have an amazing fan base that loves it that way, too.”

Malo’s solo work as well as the Mavericks canon of material generally leans thematically towards personal relationships with an emphasis on longing, love, heartbreak and redemption. Malo’s silky, soulful baritone is ideally suited for both tender ballads and more up-tempo numbers where the band turns into a well-oiled, party- and dance-inducing machine. Yet lately, Malo says he has been so disgusted with our country’s political leadership that he’s felt compelled to speak out both in song and on social media.

One potent protest song on the Mavericks’ 2017 album, “Brand New Day,” is the Latin-tinged “Easy As It Seems,” which confronts the Trump Administration’s divisive immigration policies with these lyrics written by Malo, Eddie Perez and frequent lyricist collaborator Alan Miller: “Do you want to get cruel?/Do you think it’s wise to play the fool?/Take a look around you, it’s not easy to see/Building walls between us don’t fix a thing.”

“It’s really about fear, and that’s something that’s easy to manipulate, especially when you have the bully pulpit for two years,” insisted Malo, alluding to President Trump. “He’s been a failure as a leader because leadership means leading everybody, not just those you like and who agree with you. It’s also about being decent and this man is cruel and a bully.”

Yet Malo is careful to mention that politics is not the point of a Mavericks live show.

“There are people in the audience who probably disagree with my views and that’s okay, politics is not the focus of our night,” he said. “The person next to you in the audience could be a liberal, could be a conservative or may be transgender or gay. I would say at least half of our fans each night are immigrants and our two (touring) trumpet players (Lorenzo Molina, Julio Diaz) are recent Cuban arrivals. So this band that’s making you groove is the result of immigrants who came to this country. Hopefully that softens the divide a little bit.”

“We just trust that everyone is kind to each other despite their political differences. We sing songs in English and Spanish, and if people can take the love and sense of community with you after our shows, maybe that can help make the world a little better place . . . . One note and one show at a time.”

Varied musical tastes is what defines the sonic gumbo that makes the Mavericks so truly unique. Malo grew up listening to all kinds of music in Miami, ranging from early rock from Elvis and Chuck Berry to classic country songs by Johnny Cash and Buck Owens to the big band and opera that his mother so enjoyed. Then he later absorbed the songs sung by great Cuban vocalists like Eliades Ochoa and Ivette Cepeda, both of whom Malo met and performed with two years ago as part of the PBS series “Great Performances: Havana Time Machine.”

When Malo returned to the country where his parents were born but fled to the U.S. following the 1959 revolution in which Fidel Castro seized power and transformed Cuba into a communist nation, he was overcome with emotion.

“Well, it was truly life-changing in every sense of the word,” shared Malo, who while visiting met and subsequently signed the Cuban rock band Sweet Lizzy Project to Mondo Mundo Recordings. “We have everything to gain by lifting the embargo but politics is a rich man’s game and the people are the pawns of the politicians. Never has that been more on display than in Cuba, where their leaders have their heads in the sand.”

“It’s the people and culture of Cuba, and their humanity, that gets lost in the conversation. Most embargos are in place short-term to inflict pain and force the ouster of a political leader by forcing economic hardships. But that plan back-fired, we’re going on 60 years of this thing. I understand this is a subject with different views, but it’s time for a change, let’s see if something else works.”

Now when it comes to discovering what works musically for the Mavericks, an anything-thing goes attitude is a must.

“Ultimately, there are only two songs—good ones and bad ones,” said Malo. “My first priority is to write a good song, regardless of what the style or sound may ultimately be. We’re open to everything and our style and sound just unfolds as we try this or maybe that and throw it all together. What I love about this band and what makes it so special is that we live to serve the song. No one ever says, `I need more piano or a guitar solo.’ There’s none of that, no personal vanity. If the groove requires you to sit still and play one-note for three minutes, then by golly, that’s what they’re gonna do. I feel so fortunate to find an entire band that is onboard with that.”

As for the solo acoustic setting of a Raul Malo performance like Friday’s night at the Coach House, it means a chance for him to step outside of his comfort zone, such as performing without a set list to pilot the proceedings. For a live sample, click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS-hF-XwQLw

“People who know me know that I’m a bit restless,” said Malo with a chuckle. “When it comes to music and creativity, I like the challenge of engaging an audience in a way that I wouldn’t fronting the Mavs. With the band, it’s a full-frontal assault on the senses which is great fun and any minor mistakes are just swallowed up by the energy and volume.”

“But when I’m onstage alone, I tell some stories and get to play other songs that mean something to me that just wouldn’t fit into a Mavs show. (Some of his past wide-ranging cover songs include the Bee Gees’ “Run to Me,” Willie Nelson’s “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” Etta James’ “At Last,” and Ron Sexsmith’s “Secret Heart.”) I am a little vulnerable solo but it’s exciting to get up there and wing it a bit . . . . Just me and my guitar. It’s quite a different experience for sure.”

Lucky one, indeed.

*Raul Malo performs with opening act Alih Jey Friday at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. (949) 496-8930. 8 p.m. Sold-Out. www.thecoachhouse.com.