The Van Has Arrived

Los Van Van made its Los Angeles debut on Tuesday at the Grand Avenue Nightclub as part of its first U.S. tour, and it was obvious that this is a special orchestra.

Formed in 1969 by bassist and songwriter Juan Formell, it is the undisputed king of Cuban dance orchestras and one of the most influential forces ever in Afro Cuban music. Los Van Van kept the crowd sweating throughout the nonstop two-hour concert.

Like the biggest names in mainstream Cuban music, Los Van Van is expert at producing challenging music with deeply socially conscious lyrics dealing with everyday Cuban reality (which turns out to be essentially the same as everywhere else). The arrangements underscore what Puerto Rican salsa legend Tito Puente once said: “As soon as Cuban orchestras begin to come to the U.S., we’ll have to go back to school.�

Los Van Van is a charanga (flutes and violins), a salsa orchestra (edgy trumpets and trombones) and a premier rock ‘n’ roll band (electric bass, drums) all in one, and every note makes perfect sense. On Tuesday, the three singers even had a rap-fest and got away with it.

The show delivered everything expected of Los Van Van on this long-awaited tour--a belated visit that is another sign of slightly improved prospects for Cuban musicians. Like Lazaro Ros and Mun~equitos de Matanzas, countrymen who toured here in recent years, these musicians were admitted to the United States as “cultural envoys� and are not allowed to receive any pay. Promoter Albert Torres and other supporters, helped by the huge advance ticket sales for the 15-date tour, managed to pay for the band’s plane tickets, food and lodging.

But the hard part wasn’t necessarily the U.S. government. The Latin press in the United States is notoriously anti-Castro, and at a press conference at the club Tuesday afternoon, the band met a barrage of typical questions: “How come you haven’t left Cuba yet?� “Would you consider not returning to Cuba?� “Are you with Fidel?�

The group responded with uncomfortable silence, until someone asked why the tour doesn’t include a show in Miami, the center of the U.S. Cuban exile community.

“We would love to play in Miami,� Formell answered, “but unfortunately there was no promoter interested in taking us there. It’s too bad some people forget we’re musicians.�

“C’mon, these guys are artists,� interjected promoter Torres, who for years has wanted to bring Los Van Van to the States. “This is the only country on Earth where the group is asked such stupid questions.�

Will there be another visit to Los Angeles? There are no confirmed plans yet. But now that the ice has been broken, things look better for the future. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait another 27 years,� said lead singer Pedro Calvo, standing outside the club before the show.

“If you missed this one, we’ll keep coming back until every person in L.A. knows who Los Van Van are. Just come prepared, because it’s hard to keep up with us.�