Juan Formell Cortina was born August 2, 1942. In 1967, he became music director of Elio Reve’s orquesta, a classic charanga band of flutes, violins, piano, string bass and percussion. Under Formell’s direction and bass playing, Reve’s charanga was reborn as Changui ’68 — with electric guitar and bass augmenting the orchestra. The dainty sounds of the charanga yielded to a new era in Cuban music. Juan Formell later formed Los Van Van in 1969, one of the seminal tropical dance bands in Cuba.
Los Van Van became synonymous with Cuban music. They grew with the tastes of Cubans. They were the first Cuban band to incorporate trombones, synthesizers, drum machines, and the now-standard vocal trio into their ever-adapting sound. First the new beat was called songo, the Afro-fusion of Cuban son with ritual Yoruba rhythms and American pop. Then it was called timba, the sound of Havana in the ’90s — where salsa would have gone if Beny More met up with George Clinton.
In 1999, Juan Formell received a Grammy Award for Best Latin Album for “Llegó… Van Van – Van Van Is Here“, recorded at Abdala Studios.
In 2009 Juan Formell received the Doctor Honoris Causa degree of the Higher Art Institute of Cuba for his contribution to the sound heritage of the island and a trajectory that follows the tradition, open to new trends.
The Latin Recording Academy gave Formell a 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Awards is presented by vote of The Latin Recording Academy’s Board of Trustees to performers who have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording during their careers.
International world music expo WOMEX gave Los Van Van the 2013 Artist Award.
“GRAMMY winner and Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Juan Formell was a true renaissance man who dedicated his life to music,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and Gabriel Abaroa, President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy in a joint statement. “An arranger, a bandleader, a bass player, a composer, a producer, a singer and a songwriter, he founded the groundbreaking group Los Van Van, which would become one of the most important and influential bands in the history of Cuban music.
Creating a new genre-bending musical style called ‘songo,’ Formell and Los Van Van would go on to record and perform for more than four decades, becoming the most widely known Cuban group in the world and solidifying their place in music history. Our music community has lost one of its greatest treasures, but his legacy leaves an indelible mark that will continue to teach and inspire future generations. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, his friends, the people of Cuba, and all the world citizens who grooved to his infectious rhythms.”
JUAN FORMELL y LOS VAN VAN – Me Mantengo from TABALDAK on Vimeo.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
