The musician Juan Carlos Formell said his last goodbye at a Buddhist funeral this Thursday in New York, where he had lived since 1993. On May 26, a heart attack took it out forever from the stage of the Lehman Center, in the Bronx, in full concert by Los Van Van.
The nearly two-hour religious ceremony took place in Brooklyn and was streamed on Facebook.
Juanca’s death surprised the orchestra during its tour of the United States. In the presentation in the Californian city of San Francisco, after the tragic event, the music train honored the bassist, son of its founder, maestro Juan Formell.
In the next stages they would honor his memory “in each presentation, in each musical note, in each vanvanero choir, as Juanca would have wished.”
Los Van Van continue their tour of the United States in tribute to Juan Carlos Formell
It also caused a stir among vanvaneros everywhere who expressed their pain. Miguel Díaz-Canel and other authorities, as well as institutions, artists and musical groups, sent messages of condolences.
“We are left with the joy that his last moments were on stage giving everything for our music, for our family, for Los Van Van and for their fans,” the group published on their social networks.
heading to Europe
After the California tour, the group will go to Europe on June 3, where they have concerts scheduled in countries like Spain, France, Sweden and Italy.
Juan Carlos Formell was trained in Cuba and stood out as an instrumentalist accompanying various jazz figures such as Emiliano Salvador, Guillermo Fragoso and Joseíto González. He was nominated for a Grammy for his debut album. Songs from a Little Blue House, in 1999. In total he recorded five albums.
In recent years he joined Los Van Van, where he served as bassist, like his father, until the moment of his death.