Orquesta de la Luz

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Orquesta de la Luz (オルケスタ・デ・ラ・ルス, Orukesuta de ra Ruzu, lit. "Orchestra of the Light") is a Japanese salsa band that was formed in 1984,^[1] and began performing and recording in 1989.^[2] The band sings in Spanish and is led by vocalist Nora Shoji,^[2] who returned to traditional salsa after the band broke up in the mid-1990s. It became widely famous in Latin America, particularly in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Panama, Mexico, Perú, Venezuela and other Caribbean area countries. Orquesta de La Luz was usually 12 in number, whose main focal point (and only consistent member throughout their tenure together) was singer Nora.^[2] Throughout the years, Nora was joined by a rotating cast of musicians in the group, including Gen Ogimi, percussion; Carlos Kanno, percussion; Genichi Egawa, timbales; Gen Date, conga; Hiroshi Sawada, bass; Satoru Shoinoya, piano, keyboards; Shiro Sasaki, trumpet; Tatsuya Shimogami, trumpet; Yoshihito Fukumoto, trumpet; Hideaki Nakaji, trombone; and Taisei Aoki, trombone, while co-producer/arranger Sergio George contributed keyboards from time to time. The group built a substantial following in their homeland during the early to mid-1990s (with such releases as 1990's Orquesta de La Luz, 1991's Sin Fronteras, and 1992's Somos Diferentes, before switching their sound primarily to jazz and ballads. By 1995, Orquesta de La Luz had broken up, with Nora launching a solo career shortly thereafter (and returning to her former band's early salsa sound).^[3]