The Mavericks to Showcase their Eclectic Mix at Mountain Winery

By John Roos

Kudos to the Mavericks.

They have done something that few reunited bands seem capable of -- making new music that’s relevant and as memorable as their earlier material.

The genre-defying group formed in Miami in 1989 playing a unique mix of country, pop, Tex-Mex, Cuban, swing, rock, blues and even a touch of kitschy lounge. Fronted by Cuban-American lead singer-songwriter Raul Malo, a man blessed with a richly-textured, Roy Orbison-esque voice that can stiffen the hairs on the back of your neck, the Mavericks toured hard and often to build a loyal fan base while gaining critical praise. The group reached its commercial peak at Number 6 on the Country Music album charts with 1994’s Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling “What a Crying Shame.”

But subsequent releases experienced a drop in sales and internal tensions led the band to breaking up in 2003. Malo then embarked on a solo career with his six releases spanning over 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. Offering the distinctive Mavericks blend of percolating rhythms, relatable subject matter and gorgeous vocals, “In Time” proved the band was indeed back with its creative rudder intact.

After extensive touring, the rejuvenated, the now-Nashville-based Mavericks—also featuring as core members lead guitarist Eddie Perez, drummer Paul Deakin and keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden—released “Mono” in 2016, another excellent album that received two Grammy nominations, including Best Americana Album. Among the highlights from the 12-song collection are the horn-powered, yearning pleas in “All Night Long”; the romantic, salsa-tinged “Summertime (When I’m with You”); and aching friskiness of “What Am I Supposed to Do.”

Later in 2016, the Mavericks seized control of both their musical and business ventures by establishing their own music label, Mono Mundo Recordings. Released last year, the band’s debut studio album for the imprint, “Brand New Day,” offers in addition to familiar themes of longing, love and loss, a few socially-relevant numbers. Among them, the Latin-tinged “Easy As It Seems” confronts the Trump Administration’s divisive immigration policies with these lyrics written by Malo, 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 important for us to capture the energy of the moment, both onstage and recording in the studio,” said Perez during a recent phone interview from a tour stop at the Tonder Folk Music Festival in Denmark. “I think it’s possible to connect with our fans on both a musical and cerebral level. Our music is fun and party-minded but at the same time, I don’t think you can ignore what’s going on around us these days. So we do try to share our point of view but not in a preachy kind of way.”

Perez, who followed a short stint with the Mavericks in 2003 with seven years in Dwight Yoakam’s band, is enjoying the stylistic variety that lies at the core of the Mavericks’ spicy musical gumbo.

“We have never tried to fit into a genre, or what may be the hot thing at the time,” he said. “Being a Maverick gives us all the freedom to let our creativity blossom. When we’re playing together, the sound evolves into another dimension, really. It is hard to define exactly what we do but I think it comes from a shared feeling more than anything else.”

The band’s recent transition to business and artistic independence is a bit of risk. But according to Perez, it’s one worth taking.

“We focus on everything now . . . we’re a band of over-achievers,” he said with a chuckle. “It is a lot more work but the move felt very natural. We’ve been inching toward creative independence for a while because a record label’s schedule of priorities doesn’t necessarily line up with our own. The old business model is going away, especially for a band like us that you can’t easily label or categorize.”

With three studio albums plus a live recording under their belts since re-forming six years ago, the Mavericks have no desire to look or turn back. Their current tour does include a smattering of older faves and choice cover songs but the emphasis is on the present, which allows the band to stay fresh with topical new songs to share with both old and new fans. Plus, they’re happy together.

“It’s important to the longevity of a band to move forward and grow as individuals,” emphasized Perez. “We’re all friends and having fun . . . we’re a lot closer now than ever before. Creating this music is a blast, and even when conflicts arise, we’ve learned how to deal with them. Raul is the creative force behind the Mavericks but we all share the same goal, which is to give our best each and every day.”

*The Mavericks and Los Lobos perform Thursday at the Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Rd., Saratoga; 408-741-2822. 7:30 p.m. $39-$80. www.mountainwinery.com.

Photo by David McLister.