Let’s dance with “Mi Songo”, new album by Formell and Los Van Van – 2024-05-13 15:32:11

Photos and Text: Karla Castillo

The train of popular Cuban dance music brings a new proposal to get everyone moving to the rhythm of Formell and Los Van Van, “Mi Songo” is the title of the new record production of the group, which recently celebrated its 51st anniversary. .

Made together with the Musical Recordings and Editions Company (EGREM) and the Clave Cuban Artistic Representation Agency, the phonogram covers the 50 years of life of Los Van Van, with a selection of the many hits that Cuba and the world have danced to, to the rhythm of the group.

So, every vanvanero who loves iconic songs like “El buey cansao” should know that on this CD you will find them, but re-recorded with the possibilities that modern music offers.

There will always be a Van Van, even if it is only one who defends the idea of ​​this new son, the songo, of our Cuban dance music. That was always the objective of the creator of this orchestra, the eternal Juan Formell, expressed the current director of the group, Samuel Formell, in the record notes.

During the presentation of the album, Juan Formell’s successor recounted the work process that the phonogram went through, under the epidemiological conditions that have affected the country, and how the orchestra reached its 51st anniversary this year.

According to him, the guest list was very long and he could not work with everyone, which he hopes will happen in future opportunities. Thus, the collaborations were with these artists: Alexander Abreu, Jimmy Bosch, César López, Silvio Rodríguez, Telmary, El Micha, Cello, the violinists Melody Potter and Yilian Concepción Valada, on the double bass Yandy Martínez, and on the choirs, Angel Bonne and Danae Blanco.

One that will attract a lot of attention from the followers and dancers of Vanvanera music is the collaboration with Gilberto Santa Rosa, on the song “Quien ha no dice una lie”, Samuel Formell commented that it was a debt to invite him to record together, since that Los Van Van respects him a lot, and he is a friend of the group.

The album is made up of 12 songs, among them are also “Sandunguera” and “Anda, ven y muévete”, regarding the musical arrangements, Formell indicated that they contributed a little in terms of the opportunities offered by the evolution of music, but he insisted “we never stop doing what was a success, which is the song itself, that is, its arrangement, even if we contribute something else.”

The general direction and production of this material was in the hands of Samuel Formell, in addition, it was recorded at the El Rincón Vanvanero and Estudios 18 studios of EGREM. The cover and general art of the CD is based on the 50th Anniversary mural, which will be donated to the music museum, and was composed by the artists: Zaida del Río, Yasbel Péres, Angel Rivero, Eduardo Roca, Eduardo Abela, Rafael Pérez Alonso, Cristian González, Gustavo Echevarría and Jorge Perugorría