Juan Formell

One of the most influential Cuban musicians of the Castro era, Juan Formell formed Los Van Van in 1969 after developing Afro-Cuban meldings with the changui sound of Elio Reve's Orchestra. From there he did more to influence the sound of Cuban music more than anyone else during the 1970s and '80s. Born in Havana in 1942, Formell was taught both by his father and the bassist Orestes Urfe. By the age of 17 he was a member of a military band (playing bass as well); several years later, he moved to the nightclubs and began working on the new sound of Cuban dance, with Elio Reve as well as Elena Burke. After forming Los Van Van, Formell introduced the songo sound, which became one of the most popular forms during the 1970s. The birth of the 1980s brought a new sound, that of buey cansado, and unsurprisingly, the new form proved just as popular as songo. Los Van Van released several high-selling LPs and toured most of South and Central America, as well as Asia and the then-Soviet Union. Formell has recorded several solo albums, though Los Van Van appears on all of them. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide