Juan Formell y Los Van Van — Aquí El Que Baila Gana, El Concierto, 2007

Juan Formell y Los Van Van, the orchestra founded in 1969 and nicknamed the “train of Cuban music”, delivers the filmed live concert Aquí El Que Baila Gana. As the architect of timba, Formell reinvented the traditional charanga by adding electric bass, trombones and songo rhythms, making Los Van Van the most influential dance band in Cuba. This capture conveys the infectious energy of a full big band — dense rhythm section, choruses, strings and brass — before an enthralled audience. It gathers the repertoire that has kept several generations of Cubans dancing, blending son, salsa and the group’s signature harmonic innovations. The full concert illustrates the longevity of a musical institution honored with a Grammy and celebrated worldwide. For the Latin-music enthusiast, this document is an ideal entry point into timba and into the legacy of Juan Formell, a central figure of Cuban popular music over the past half-century, filmed in live concert.