Jorge Santana (1951–2020), guitarist for Malo and Carlos Santana’s brother
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2 min readJorge Santana was the guitarist for Malo, who had a 1972 hit with “Suavecito.” He was also the younger brother of Carlos Santana.
- Died: May 14, 2020 (Who else died on May 14?)
- Details of death: Died of natural causes at the age of 68.
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Music in the family
Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Santana followed in his older brother’s footsteps by learning to play guitar. He became a member of the San Francisco-based group Malo, who became known for their laid-back bilingual hit “Suavecito.” The song rose to No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became an enduring favorite of Latino culture. Santana later released two solo albums and joined the salsa group Fania All-Stars. He toured with his brother, and the two recorded the album “Santana Brothers” in 1994.
Santana on sitting in with his brother’s band
“I played with other bands, but there was something about playing with his band that is so energetic that there is no time to stop and think about how nervous you are. You have to be right at the moment and just dive into it. It’s a leap of faith that you take.” —from a 2018 interview with Jazz Weekly
What people said about him
Full obituary: The Chicago Tribune
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