Zaperoko was formed in the early 1980s when a trombonist named Edwin Feliciano visited Cuba to perform with a leading salsa orchestra of the time. The effect of hearing a relatively new rhythm called Songo, pioneered by Juan Formell and his groundbreaking ensemble Los Van Van, sent the impressionable young musician racing back to his home in Puerto Rico to explore some of the ideas that had been already forming in his mind.
The outcome of this meditation resulted in a group called Zaperoko and a debut album released by Montuno Records in 1983 called Cosa De Locos. Produced by Rene López, one of the most admired men in the history of Latin music, this album helped pioneer the genre which today is called World Music.
Zaperoko joined forces with another band, Los Pleneros del Truco, to form Truco & Zaperoko.
Discography:
Zaperoko (Montuno Records, 1983)
Zaperoko II (Montuno Records, 1986)
Tarde En La Noche (Zap’s Records, 1989)
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.