Three of Malo's original members (Richard Bean, Arcelio Garcia, and Pablo Tellez had previously played in the band The Malibus.
Some of the best musicians in the Bay Area were featured in Malo, including Luis Gasca, Forrest Buchtel, Jr., Ron Smith, and Tom Poole in the trumpet section.
Malo's music was popular in Central and South America, especially the songs "Chevere", "Nena", "Pana", "Cafe", and "Oye Mama".
Malo's January 1972 hit single, "Suavecito" (meaning "soft" or "smooth" in Spanish), was the group's only song that charted on Billboard's Top 20, at #18 for 10 weeks.
The title track of the CD was co-written by Damon Bartlett and Martin Cantu, who, like previous band members, also grew up in San Francisco's Mission District.