The latest record of Van Van Orchestra under the title ''Chapeando'' is boasting interesting texts where the outstanding Cuban intellectuals Miguel Barnet and Rogelio Martínez Furé reflect on the importance of folklore within the national culture and the promotional role of this notable team headed by Juan Formell as one of the most popular musical bands of the island, these are the presentation speech of this album.

Words by Miguel Barnet
Again Juan Formell and his Van Van ‘'Chapeando'' the forest and clearing the bad herbs off the path.
Juan Formell with his ‘'garabato'' opening new courses for the Cuban music, escorted by Osain and the Ibeyis, Formell like an Elegguá inaugurating new scales, new tessitures, new tunes.
Brilliant, versatile and deep musician, he has known how to register the incidences and the fortunes of the Island and has been the best chronicler of his time; a convulsed and dramatic epoch to which he has given with his creative grace and accent of the happiness and humour.
The whole magic of the forest -the house of the Orishas- all its mystery and its power lives in Juan Formell`s work.
The Cubans and the rest of the world, but mainly the Cubans of this time, will always be in debt with the tribute that this extraordinary composer and interpreter has bequeathed to the music of Latin America.
Van Van will always go forward, heading the retinue of an Olympus that ceased to be ours, to be of all. And its creator, Juan Formell, faithful performer of the charm of Iroko, with his ‘'garabato'' and his machete will continue opening new roads singing and ‘'chapeando''.

Words by Rogelio Martínez Furé
Chapeando, always chapeando…!
Amidst Cuban`s music wild forest, Juan Formell and his Van Van straighten up like Iroko, king of Caribbean trees. Powerful Ceiba tree that plunges its roots in popular traditions and extends its branches to the four winds of the most renewing and fecundating rains.

Formellian creations are chronicles and testimonies of what Cubans have lived during the last four decades. Always ‘'Chapeando'' new routes in the musical world of the Greatest of the Antilles in a round spiral, These creations and the legitimate heirs to chants, rhythms and dances sprouted out from Afro Cuban town councils and slaves` living quarters; from ‘'bateyes'', tenements and annex, huts and halls of ostentations.

They are the Daughters of Father Tambor and Mother Guitar of flutes, piano and violin, of ‘'claves'', ‘'maracas'', ‘'guiros'' and cowbells. Music of Cuban and Universal roots, where tradition and contemporaneity merge; the classical-popular is renewed and the most current sonority acquires the noble patina of ancestral.

It is an identity-founding music.
An old Cuban Lucumi chant praising Iroko, the original Ceiba tree goes:

Gbangban: firm it`s firm
Iroko: The sacred tree Iroko
Gbangban: Is firm

With the audacity of a ‘'chapeador Elegbá'' I dare to paraphrase the classical text and emply the homophony between Gbangban (be firm in Yorubá language) and Van Van (name of our admired band) to sing this praise:

Firm , they are firm.. Juan Formell and Van Van... The are firm

Firm in the heart of Cuban music, ‘'chapeando''. Always ‘'chapeando''new paths, renovating cross paths, under the shadow of powerful Iroko, king of Caribbean trees.
Any doubt about this?

Van Van /Iroko/ Gbangban

See Soycubano Newsletter