For most, being the descendant of such an important political figure as his father was means that Juan Guillermo has his path to music smoothed. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is enough to know about his efforts to complete his law studies, while at the same time combining his performances with the famous reggaeton group Gente de Zona and later the creation of his own orchestra, with which he has earned the respect of both the public and the critics.

Music within the JG family

His father, Juan Almeida Bosque, was, among other things, a great composer of Cuban music, mostly son, as well as the creator of many of the songs that today make up JG’s repertoire.

As for his mother, she studied piano and as this young artist confesses, she has been an essential pillar in his artistic career. For these reasons, when JG begins his musical career in the middle of his law studies, his family respects and supports him spiritually.

Gente de Zona, the most prestigious of Cuban reggaeton groups, had the scoop on JG’s insertion into the art world. For him it represented a challenge, since it was not the kind of Cuban music he listened to in his childhood. However, the interaction with international and national audiences helped him to establish himself as a rising star and the professional work provided him with experience for what was to come.

From reggaeton to timba

Once he graduated from university, JG formed his own group and began to lean towards rhythms more in line with his interests, such as timba, salsa, son and even merengue and, of course, some reggaeton. Among his priorities was then to study music, receiving classes with great teachers such as Digna Guerra, José Rolando and Carmen Rosa López, teachers from music schools such as ENA and Caturla.

As a singer JG feels a special attachment to timba, being among his influences the Cuban dance music of great orchestras such as Los Van Van, Paulo FG, Carlos Manuel y su Clan and Charanga Habanera, his favourite. However, fusion is another of the characteristics of his group’s arrangements, in which the catchy popular phrases for which he is more than renowned among Cuban dance audiences also stand out.

JG: a committed Cuban musician

Like all artists of his time, interaction with other musicians in the courtyard is commonplace in his repertoire, playing with personalities such as Kelvis Ochoa, the group Qva Libre and Charanga Habanera. It’s not unusual to find him on tour in different provinces of the nation such as Holguín, Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos. But if it’s about Havana, his orchestra frequents the “Salón Rojo” in Capri and the Casa de la Música in Miramar.

His albums include “Empezar de cero” and “En el tren ya estoy montado”. One of his most famous songs is “Que no, que no”, with which he managed to position himself among the most popular of Cuban music of these times.

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