Juan de Marcos

Juan de Marcos González, born in the Pueblo Nuevo barrio of Havana to a musical family, is a Cuban producer, composer, bandleader and actor better known for his albums with Sierra Maestra, Afro-Cuban All Stars, the Buenavista Social Club series and the films VIVO, Mambo Man, Buenavista Social Club and Buenavista Social Club: Adios. His father, Marcos González Mauriz (d March 1990), was a vocalist and rumbero who performed with prominent bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez and other well-known orchestras of the forties and fifties. He studied popular and tres guitar at the Ignacio Cervantes Conservatory and with maestros Leopoldina Nunez and Vicente "Guyun" Gonzalez. Later took courses on orchestral conduction and contemporary harmony at Goldsmith College, London. He has also a major and a PhD in Agricultural Sciences.

Growing up, González was a fan of American and British rock music before rediscovering his Cuban roots and establishing the first young "traditional" Cuban band, Sierra Maestra, in 1976. González's stated goal was to keep the torch of Cuban folk music alive for a younger generation.

González became a key member of the Buenavista Social Club under contract with Nick Gold, of World Circuit Records. And using his knowledge on and contacts in the Cuban music world created the required line-up, where many of the musicians were old friends of his dad. When Ry Cooder arrived in Havana for recording, González himself was working an "all stars" album tribute to the golden era greats of Cuban music, the Afro-Cuban All Stars, featuring many of the same musicians who comprise the Buena Vista Social Club. Subsequently, González led this band, The Afro-Cuban All Stars and  Ruben Gonzalez’s ensemble on their first European and American tours, including the concerts at Le Carre (Amsterdam), Mexico’s Auditorio Nacional and Carnegie Hall.

Gonzalez.s work has been nominated 4 times for the Grammies and won the first Womex Awards.

He speaks Russian, English and Spanish and has some knowledge of Afro-Cuban syncretic languages.