Bassist, composer, arranger and director of ''Van Van'' Orchestra, Juan Formell, born in August 2, 1942, is considered the most important creator of popular danceable music of this quarter of century. His professional activity started in 1957 as musician of cabarets orchestras, radio and television and in 1959 he worked as bassist of Musical Band of Revolutionary Police.

He worked as musician of Rubalcaba Orchestra in 1965 and Peruchín Orchestra in 1966, in 1967 he was interested in searching for methods to renovate the Cuban sonorous scope while working as member of Elio Revé Orchestra where he made orchestrations that gave to this group the signature tone of charanga.

His musical passion earned him the leading role in diverse events, above all, the founding of his own orchestra ''Los Van Van'' on December 4, 1959 and the recording of his first LD in 1970.

His musical conception, made a real revolution in La Charanga Típica, by adding electronic instruments such as guitar bass, keyboard, substituting contrabass and acoustic piano, paila for drumer, flute of five keys for flute of system, amplifiying violins and chelo, achieveing a unique sonority and at the same time adding novel arrangements and a vocal work never listened before.

Van Van set a landmark in the danceable genre, with the creation of Songo, resulting rhythm from the harmonic blending of percussion, piano and bass, remaining a feature in the contemporary danceable music. Juan Formell`s creativity and genuine style has awaked great interest in national and international musicians whose works has been influenced by this adroit and charismatic composer.

Formell is considered a Cuban musical chronicler, having virtue and talent enough to assume national daily life, the inmense wealth of popular refrains, roguery, double sense, freshness of character and people taste along his entire body of work, to make different Cuban generations enjoy this musical genre.

Having more than 50 hits around this 33 years of artistic life Van Van Orchestra and Juan Formell have made danced the most demanding dancers of the world, becoming an empire of popularity in his country. In 2000, he received Grammy Prize due to Llegó Van Van! CD, recorded at Abdala Studios.

Around his professional career he has been working in movie and theater, having also performances at various scenes in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Formell is a precurssor of Cuban Timba defending first of all Cuban roots and secondly new sonorities and rhythm created since 60s up to now by current generations of Cuban musicians; for all these reasons exposed above, Formell is a high defender of our national culture.

See discography in www.discuba.com