Juan Formell | |
|---|---|
 Juan Formell in 2013. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Juan Clímaco Formell Cortina[1] |
| Born | August 2, 1942 Havana, Cuba |
| Died | May 1, 2014 (aged 71) Havana, Cuba |
| Genres | Salsa music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, composer, arranger |
| Instrument | Bass |
| Years active | 1957–2014 |
Juan Climaco Formell Cortina (2 August 1942–1 May 2014) was a Cuban bassist, composer, and arranger, best known as the director of Los Van Van. He was a creator of popular danceable music and credited with bringing electronic instrumentation into the Cuban musical form.
His full name was Juan Clímaco (John Climacus) Formell Cortina.
His professional activity started in 1957 as musician of cabaret orchestras, radio and television. In 1959 he worked as bassist of Musical Band of Revolutionary Police. He died of liver disease at the age of 71 in 2014.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
- ^ Muere Juan Fornell
- ^ "Murió Juan Formell, fundador y director de los Van Van". Juventud Rebelde. 1 May 2014.
- ^ Gerard, Charley D. Music from Cuba: Mongo Santamaria, Chocolate Armenteros and Other Stateside Cuban Musicians. Greenwood Press, 2001.
- ^ Walter Clark. From Tejano to Tango: Essays on Latin American Popular Music (Perspectives in Global Pop). Routledge, 2002. ISBN 978-0-8153-3639-6.
- ^ Frances R. Aparicio (Editor), Candida F. Jaquez (Editor). Musical Migrations: Transnationalism and Cultural Hybridity in Latin/o America, Volume I. Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
- ^ Ed Morales. The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music, from Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond. Da Capo Press, 2003.
- ^ "Cuban band leader Juan Formell dead at 71". Reuters. 2 May 2014.