Los Van Van


"For almost 30 years it runs, and rather smoothly" (Hot Salsa)
"... a creative dynasty of the highest caliber. Still unfettered by commercialism, their sole intent was to spin the crowd into a communal dance... Music of this quality should not be restricted by borders, and when it comes to political rivalry between the U.S. and Cuba, I say let Jesse Helms and Fidel Castro duke it out and get it over with. There's dancing to be done!" (Chuy Varela)

The music:

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vanvan.jpg (20193 bytes) Te pone la cabeza mala: Esto te pone la cabeza mala, Llévada a tu vacilón, La Shopmaniáca, Regrésamelo todo, Barristo con él, Ni bombones ni caramelos, Lo que dejó Sebastián, Qué pasa con ella, Ella tiene algo que no sé, El tren se va, Esto te pone la cabeza mala (repris), 1997 Caribe Productions Inc., Calle 17 No. 18401 entre 184 y 190, Siboney, Playa, La Habana, Cuba, tel (537) 332910/ 336812/ 336194, fax (537) 332965
Also distributed by EMI Latin

Available at Amazon

 

The musicians:

Juan Formell (musical director, bass, backing vocals), César Pedroso (piano), Hugo Morejón (trombone, synthesizer), Alvaro Collado (trombone), Edmundo Pina (trombone, percussion pad), Gerardo Miró (violin), Pedro Fajardo (violin), Dagoberto González (violins), Jorge Leliebre (flute, back ground vocals, maraca's), Manuel Labarrera (congas), Julio Noroña (güiros, small percussion), Boris Luna (synthesizer), Samuel Formell (drums, timbales, percussion arrangements), Pedro Calvo (lead & backing vocals), Roberto Hernández (lead & backing vocals, percussion), Mario Rivera (lead & backing vocals and vocal harmonization)

        Links on Los Van Van:

Juan Formell's own website!
Eurosalsa - interview with J.Formell, magazine distributed from Germany, sep '98
Video clip of Los Van Van at CNN, aug '98
Los Van Van in München, june '98 at Sals@lemania
Los Van Van en Buenos Aires, at AmeriSalsa!
Los Van Van introduced on Festival Internacional Pirineos Sur, Spain, july '98 (spanish)
Some bandmembers joined Team Cuba, may '98
From practice to theory, Juan Formell in Granma Internacional, by Mirea Castañeda, april '98
La timba cubana en Uruguay con Los Van Van, interview with Juan Formell, march '98 (spanish)
Despite U.S.-generated red tape, Los Van Van, Cuba's most popular musical
group, headlines SC's Cocoanut Grove
, by Ellen Farmer, june '97
Los Van Van pack the crowds during their first West Coast performances with pictures, january '97
Van Van Vamos! at Maritime Hall, San Francisco, january '97
Oasis Salsero about their album 'Te pone la cabeza mala'
Cuban music infiltrates Miami exiles defenses by Mia Navarro
Tropicana Internacional about the album "Gracias Formell", '97
Los Van Van in Hot Salsa's artist catalog
Juan Formell's short biography
Another biography at Sonero (in spanish)
Another Van Van homepage (in spanish)
Los Van Van info at Afrocubaweb incl. US tour schedule
Ghettolatino from Colombia about Los Van Van


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Last modified on 30.4.2000