Juan Carlos Formell Alfonso Author: rebellious youth
On the night of Friday, May 26, 2023, at the age of 59, Cuban bassist, guitarist and composer Juan Carlos Formell Alfonso (1964-2023), the son of the Maestro, died as a result of a heart attack in New York. Juan Formell, founding conductor of the Los Van Van Orchestra.
Juan Carlos was born in Havana in 1964 and has lived in New York since 1993. He studied music at the conservatories of Alejandro Garcia Caturla and Amadeo Roldan in Havana and completed his studies at the National School of the Arts of Cuba. He stood out for his idiosyncratic style as an instrumentalist accompanying various Cuban jazz figures such as Emiliano Salvador, Guillermo Fragoso and Joseito Gonzalez, director of the symbolic orchestra of Rumbavan. In 1999, he conceived and recorded his debut album Songs from a Little Blue House for the American record label Wicklow Records, which was nominated for a Granmy Awards. During his career, he recorded five records.
He later joined Los Van Van, where he was the bassist until his death. During his time with this famous orchestra of Cuban popular music, he achieved commendable results, especially in recent years, under the direction of his brother Samuel Formell, and made a decisive contribution to the preservation of his father’s musical legacy.
On behalf of the Cuban Institute of Music, we express our deepest condolences to your family and friends.
Source: Juventud Rebelde