José Luis Quintana "Changuito," legendary Cuban percussionist and founder of Los Van Van, has passed away

The Cuban musician José Luis Quintana Fuentes, known as "Changuito", passed away this Friday in Havana at the age of 76, as confirmed by the Cuban Institute of Music.

Regarded as a legend of percussion in Cuba and around the world, Changuito was one of the founding pillars of the iconic orchestra Los Van Van, alongside Juan Formell.

"With this group, he developed the songo, an innovative rhythm that fused elements of Cuban musical tradition with contemporary sounds. For over 20 years, his virtuosity on the timbales and congas became a distinctive hallmark of the group," recalled the Institute in a post where they expressed their sorrow at his passing.

For their part, Los Van Van noted that the talent and secret touch of Changuito changed the history of rhythm in Cuba.

"Today, the earth mourns him and the sky dances with its rhythm," says the condolence message from the group.

The death of the musician, although anticipated due to his delicate health condition in recent years, has had a profound impact on the Cuban artistic community.

Changuito lived in precarious conditions and faced serious health issues that worsened since 2022, when he lost a leg due to a delay in his hospital admission, an incident that was publicly reported by his children.

Despite his status as a fundamental figure in Cuban culture, his situation was overlooked for a long time by state institutions, which only reacted after pressure on social media.

In April of last year, the musician Giraldo Piloto asked for help for the prominent percussionist, who didn't even have a refrigerator and his home had crucial elements in very poor condition, such as the door and the roof.

A LIFE DEDICATED TO MUSIC

Born on January 18, 1948, in Casablanca, Havana, Changuito is regarded as one of the greatest Cuban percussionists of all time. He received his nickname in 1964 from pianist, director, and composer Felipe Dulzaides while he was part of the pop-rock group Los Armónicos.

He was not only an innovator of rhythm but also a generous teacher. His educational work reached universities in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the United States, training a new generation of world-class percussionists.

His technique and creativity earned him multiple awards, including three Grammys, and his name stands among the greats of the drum, alongside legends like Tata Güines and Giovanni Hidalgo.

However, its decline highlights a painful truth: the lack of support for many of the country's most important artists, abandoned in their old age despite their contributions to the national cultural identity.

Although today the Cuban institutions express condolences, his death reminds us of the unaddressed complaints, the material shortages, and the gestures of solidarity that came more from colleagues and admirers than from the state itself.

Now, "the sky dances with its rhythm," but Cuba mourns a loss that could have been less painful.

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