By THIRSTY

Juan de Marcos González's Grammy Award-nominated work over the past 25 years has earned him recognition as the "Quincy Jones of Cuban Music." As a composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, entrepreneur and tres player, Juan de Marcos González has been the driving force behind the international celebration of the classical Cuban sound. His band, The Afro-Cuban All Stars, counts as alumni some of the greatest Cuban musicians, including Ruben Gonzalez, Ibrahim Ferrer, Guillermo Rubalcava, Amadito Valdes and Manuel "The Guajiro" Mirabal.

The Afro-Cuban All Stars is a unique orchestra that keeps alive the full range of Cuban music and has toured from Alaska to Istanbul spreading the spirit, history and distinctive tones of the Cuban people around the world while selling millions of albums.

When not recording or touring, González, who has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering, has focused his energies on helping others that included becoming an Interdisciplinary Artist in Residence (Fall 2015) at the Arts Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where taught and conducted Master Classes.

With the recent re-establishment of relations between the United States and Cuba, the Cuban sound is about to be unleashed anew. Because of the work of Juan de Marcos González, however, the heritage of Cuban music is alive and well.

Juan de Marcos (credit: Luiz C. Ribeiro)

Link:

Afro-Cuban All Stars