Juan de Marcos González

Cuban musician cataloged as a prophet of Cuban music at the end of the 20th century. He was the producer of the idea of the Afro Cubans All Stars orchestra that recorded the album Buena Vista Social Club, Grammy Award 1997, in the Tropical Music category.

He grew up surrounded by music since he is the son of one of the musicians who sang and played with Arsenio Rodríguez.

From childhood he studied guitar at the Havana conservatory and had private lessons with Vicente González and Leopoldina Núñez, in addition to contemporary harmony and orchestra conducting.

He enrolled in the university to study hydraulic engineering and learn Russian and English. He later worked as a consultant for the Institute of Agronomic Science, obtaining his doctorate in 1989. While studying at the university in 1976, he co-founded the Sierra Maestra group.

He is the founder of the Sierra Maestra group which was created on October 20, 1976, in the Amateur Movement of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. It was cataloged as a traditional Cuban septet, its purpose was to promote and rescue "Cuban Son". The band achieved great successes, such as recording 14 albums in Cuba, Africa and Europe. They made several tours and received a large number of awards.

Its first members were also: Eduardo Himely, its current director; Alejandro Suárez, Carlos González, Luis Bergaza, Ernesto Valle and the stellar voice of José Antonio Rodríguez.

The group participated in several television programs, in 1980, they achieve a Silver Record with the LP "Llegó el guanajo relleno"; later they recorded the album "Y son así". They then continued recording one after another, winning awards from the Recording and Publishing Company (EGREM), and from other labels until accumulating more than 20. They conquered the Replica of Benny Moré's Baton.

In 1994 Juan de Marcos began an association with World Circuit, with which the band recorded "Dundunbanza". Nick Gold, who worked at World Circuit, encouraged the group to include piano, congas and trumpets, to pay tribute to the style of the forties and fifties of Arsenio Rodríguez. Having found success, Juan de Marcos and Gold sought to develop the "big band" style by recording in Havana with the forgotten stars of the "golden age" of Cuban music.

"A toda Cuba le gusta" (nominated for Grammy in 1998) was the first album recorded with the now well-known Buena Vista Social Club, the album turned out to be a success with which Juan de Marcos led the Afro-Cuban All stars and Rubén González Ensemble who made their debut in Europe and the United States.

Furthermore, directing Buena Vista Social Club in the only and original concerts in Amsterdam, New York and, later, in Mexico. Apart from the fact of the eruption of Cuban music's success, it is the appreciation within the country itself that Juan de Marcos finds most satisfying.

Discography
Dundumbanza (World Circuit, 1994) - Sierra Maestra. Arrangement Work, Musical Director, Musician and Producer.
Tibiri Tabara (World Circuit, 1997) - Sierra Maestra. Musician and Arranger.
Buena Vista Social Club (World Circuit, 1997) – Buena Vista Social Club. A & R, Musical Director, Arrangements, Musician. (Grammy Award 1998)
A toda Cuba le gusta (World Circuit, 1997) - Afro-Cuban All Stars. Musical Director, Musician, Arrangements. (Grammy Nominated 1998)
Distinto, Diferente (World Circuit, 1999) - Afro-Cuban All Stars. Musical Director, Musician, Arrangements. (Billboard Latino Nomination 2000)
Introducing Ruben Gonzalez (World Circuit, 1997) - Ruben Gonzalez. Musical Director, Arrangements.
Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer - Ibrahim Ferrer (World Circuit, 1999) - Ibrahim Ferrer. A & R, Arrangements. (Grammy Nomination in 2000, Grammy Latino 2000)
Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo - Omara Portuondo (World Circuit, 2000) - Omara Portuondo. Arrangements. (Grammy Nomination and Grammy Latino)

Awards
Twice nominated for Grammy Awards.
Nominated for Billboard Latino.
Winner of the first Womex Award. (together with Nick Gold in the year 2000)