Formed: 1986

A Columbian salsa band led by Alexis Lozano, Orquesta Guayac?n rose to prominence during the 1990s. Born in Quibd?, the capital of Choc?, a Pacific coastal region of Colombia with a large Afro-Columbian population, Lozano began his musical career in tandem with Jairo Varela. The two musicians met as students in Bogat? and co-founded the group Niche, with which Lozano recorded four albums: Al Pasito (1979), Querer Es Poder (1981), Preparate Grupo Niche, Vol. 2 (1982), and Niche (1983). Lozano then split with Varela and founded his own group, Orquesta Guayac?n, which made its recording debut, Lleg? la Hora de la Verdad, in 1986, followed by Que la Sangre Alborota in 1987 and Guayac?n Es la Orquesta in 1988. This early incarnation of Orquesta Guayac?n features a lineup including co-founder Richie Vald?s (vocals) and his brothers William (timbales) and Julio C?sar Vald?s (bass), along with John Lozano (vocals) and Tanenbaum (keyboards), though Richie and William Vald?s left the group after Guayac?n Es la Orquesta and joined Varela in Grupo Niche. Lozano found replacements and moved onward, releasing a series of popular albums throughout the 1990s, including La M?s Bella (1990), 5 A?os: Aferrados al Sabor (1991), Oiga, Mire, Vea (1992), Con el Coraz?n Ab?erto (1993), A Puro Golpe (1994), Familia RMM en Vivo (1994), Marcando la Diferencia (1995), Con Sabor Tropical (1997), Nadie Nos Quita Lo Bailao (1998), and De Nuevo en la Salsa (1999). The group's success continued well into the next millennium. ~ Jason Birchmeier, Rovi