Juan Formell y Los Van Van

The Cuban juggernaut brings a slice of history to Japan

Photos courtesy of Sirena Music

Although they’ve been the leaders of the Cuban pop scene since bassist Juan Formell created the group in 1969, Los Van Van didn’t make their first official tour of Japan until last year, when they were invited by Tempo Iberoamericano, the promoter of Japan’s largest salsa event, Fukuoka’s Isla de Salsa.

Testifying to the spread of Latin music in Japan, more than 10,000 people attended these concerts, some of which are documented in the new Wim Wenders-produced film Musica Cubana. While for many people worldwide the Buena Vista Social Club group depicted in Wender’s earlier film of the same name represents Cuban tradition, that band was a spontaneous group put together for a commercial project. With Musica Cubana, Wenders and director German Kral cast members of Los Van Van, a group that has been a constant presence on Cuba’s cultural radar for 35 years.

In advance of the 16-piece band’s Japan tour, with stops at Studio Coast as well as the Tokyo Jazz festival, Metropolis put some questions by email to singer Mayito Rivera, one of the stars of Musica Cubana.

Why did it take so long for Los Van Van to come to Japan?
It’s been a problem of negotiation and the lack of the right person capable of successfully finalizing all the necessary contracts, since we as musicians are not generally very good at handling these matters.

What were the biggest challenges for you about appearing in Musica Cubana?
Owing to the way Cuba is, the biggest difficulty was getting all the necessary paperwork. But we just put ourselves in the hands of the producers and hugely enjoyed the filming and gave it everything we had. Perhaps the greatest challenge, though, came when we were told that we would go to Japan to include in the film one of our concerts, which seemed impossible at first, but later became reality.

Photo: Juan Formell

How has the film affected your career?
It is an honor that stirs profound emotions and pleasure. Cuban musicians are grateful for any kind of collaboration, like the one with German Kral: films or documentaries far from considerations of money whose only focus is artistic merit.

With Fidel Castro getting older, Cubans must be looking toward a post-Castro era. How do you think the situation might change for Cuban musicians?
I don’t know if after Castro the cultural situation will change, but I think the most important point is that the foundation has been established. I only hope that we don’t lose the humble spirit we possess, and that large corporations understand that we are a country facing blockades and millions of problems. For these reasons they should take our situation into greater consideration when they come up with trade agreements, because people cannot sell their hearts, their sensibilities and the power of their creativity for some trifling amount of cash.

In a band with so many members, how do you make decisions?
When differences arise, we try to resolve them among ourselves. In such a large collective, you have to handle such matters with intelligence—the kind of intelligence that creates each person as an individual. In this respect Juan Formell is a wise one; we’re talking 30 years of serious and important work, interaction and effort on a daily basis.

What have been the best and worst moments for Los Van Van?
One of the best moments was to have succeeded in going to the United States in ’97, because it was a historic moment that later made possible the launch of the band’s career at the international level—and, thanks to that, the winning of the Grammy in ’99. As for the worst moment, it has yet to arrive.

What can we look forward to on the next Los Van Van recording?
The latest project is a live concert album that includes a DVD and two CDs. In this concert, many numbers from the past were included, but with new arrangements and new production.

Los Van Van perform at Studio Coast on Aug 5, and as part of Tokyo Jazz at Tokyo International Forum on Sep 2. See listings (jazz/world) for details.

Got something to say about this article? Send a letter to the editor at letters@metropolis.co.jp.

Listen to the Metropolis Podcast, the coolest guide to what goes on this week in Tokyo.

Looking for international friends? Check Japan, Inc. Friends now - it's 100% free!