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Los Van Van una orquesta cubana (s. t.salsa y timba), fundada en 1969 por el bajista Juan Formell.
José Luís Quintana "Changuito" durante muchos años fue percusionista principal de la banda y junto con Juan Formell creador del ritmo característico del grupo llamado Songo. El pianista y coautor de Formell de muchos números de la orquesta César "Pupy" Pedroso se fue del grupo en el 2001 y dirige actualmente su propia orquesta Pupy y Los que Son. Los Van Van fue la primera agrupación cubana utilizando un sintetizador.
Discografía
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1980 Juan Formell y Los Van Van
1982 El Baile del Buey Cansado
1983 Qué Pista
1984 Anda, Vén y Muévete
1985 La Habana Sí
1986 Eso Que Anda
1987 Al Son del Caribe
1988 El Negro No Tiene Nada
1989 Crónicas
1990 Aquí El Que Baila Gana
1992 Disco Azúcar
1994 Lo Último en Vivo
1995 Ay Dios, Ampárame
1997 Esto Te Pone la Cabeza Mala
1999 Llegó Van Van (ganador de un Grammy)
2005 Chapeando |
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Los Van Van is a Cuban band led by bassist Juan Formell, and is considered to be one of Cuba's major timba acts, while Juan Formell has arguably become the most important figure in contemporary Cuban music.
In 1967, Formell became musical director of Elio Reve's charanga orchestra. He reformatted the group into Changui '68, and then founded his own group, Los Van Van, on December 4, 1969.
Using a charanga line-up as its base, Van Van added trombones and vocals, and was the first Cuban group to use synthesizers and drum machines. Their sound was a fusion of changui and son montuno with various types of music, including Afro-Cuban rhythms, rock, funk, disco, and hip hop. Juan Formell contributed countless innovations to the Cuban bass and clave, which paved the way for a radical reconceptualisation of rhythmic arrangements in Cuban music. The Van Van sound came to be known as songo (based on the songo rhythm), which laid the base for the later development of timba.
Los Van Van has consistently managed to adapt its style to the times, and remains, after 35 years, Cuba's most popular dance band. Along with pianist Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso, Juan Formell has written some of the most intriguing verses in popular dance music, including stories that run over several albums and, contrary to trends in timba, all types of social commentary. Both artists are undisputed masters of double-entendre in a musical culture where multiple meanings in lyrics are pervasive.
The band has two Grammy Awards to their credit
Los Van Van has been a school for outstanding singers and musicians. Past members with successful careers as solo artists include Pedro Calvo, Angel Bonne, Changuito, Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso and others. As of 2006, Los Van Van probably have the best lineup of singers for a Cuba band composed of; Mayito Rivera, Roberto Hernandez "Roberton", Yeni Valdes and Lele Rosales |
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