José Luís Cortés González, popularly known as El Tosco, is a composer, arranger, conductor of his orchestra (NG La Banda), and an excellent flutist. He was born on October 5, 1951, in Santa Clara. He studied flute at the National School of Arts (ENA) (120th Street between 9th and 13th Streets, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana) in Havana, where he was part of the choir, the traditional orchestra, and also directed the Jazz Band.

As a flutist, he was part of two important groups in contemporary Cuban popular music, Los Van Van and Irakere. He composed musical arrangements, choruses, and songs for them, bringing a new sound and knowledge to them. He also gained considerable experience in these groups.

In the late 1980s, in 1988 to be exact, José Luís Cortés founded his own orchestra called NG La Banda. Its name means “new generation” and constitutes a project that realized the expectations of a new generation of Cuban musicians.

The first performance of Tosco and his orchestra, NG La Banda, took place at the Café Cantante of the Bertolt Brecht Theater (Lines J and K, Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana). The group was made up of highly skilled instrumentalists with extensive experience, having been part of other important Cuban groups of the time.

Among the numerous contributions José Luis Cortés has made to Cuban music is the creation of the popular Cuban musical genre, Timba. His treatment of tumbaos and their interrelation with the rhythm section and keyboards have allowed him to establish a perfectly distinguishable signature, a new and vigorous sound within contemporary Cuban music: Timba Cubana. His group is considered by many to be the inventor and pioneer of this Cuban musical style. José Luis was also the first to introduce the keyboard into the dance orchestra, although it was previously used by Irakere, but not as a standalone instrument.

Maestro Juan Formell, director of Van Van, said of Cortés: “José Luis Cortés was the one who united, consolidated, and solidified the Cuban salsa boom. We laid the foundation: Irakere and Van Van, but José Luis was the genius who was responsible for inventing the driving force of the sound that made dance music international.”

The songs written by José Luis and performed by his group narrate the everyday life of the Cuban people in a very unique way. They capture the language of Havana’s neighborhoods, the expressions and idioms used by Cubans every day. His lyrics express the feelings of the masses, and he is an expert chronicler of the everyday life of his times.

In addition to being a flutist and composer, José Luis Cortés developed and works as a musical director of shows and a music producer of phonograms. As a producer, he has achieved a well-deserved reputation, embodied in more than 38 award-winning and critically acclaimed recordings.

His orchestra is considered one of the most important musical ensembles of all time within the framework of Cuban music, due to the orchestrations and arrangements made by José Luis Cortés that are present in its vast repertoire.

In 2008, the documentary “Tosco, the King of Timba” by Asori Soto was released. It aims to reveal the interesting life and work, as well as the significance of his valuable contributions to Cuban popular music, of the great maestro José Luis Cortés.

José Luis Cortés currently runs his own singing school, through which he has graduated more than fifteen vocalists. Through it, he pursues the faithful goal of seeking out new voices to enrich Cuban popular music.

He also has the Camerata Cortés, which he founded with maestro Antonio Pedroso to honor the flute. It is composed entirely of flutes and is comprised of graduates from art schools.

José Luis Cortés, along with his group NG la Banda, has performed throughout his career on numerous stages and at numerous national and international events. Among the latter, the following stand out: Frankfurt Salsa Festival, Holland Salsa, The Nice Jazz Festival, The Parls Caribbean Festival, Salsa Festival in Madrid, the prestigious London Jazz club Ponnie Scotts, Santa Coloma Soneros Festival, Puerto Rico Salsa Festival, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Soneros Festival.

José Luis Cortés is among the best flutists in Cuba and Latin America. His high performing quality is evident in songs like Cha Cortés, Spain, and albums like Latin Fever. He is considered the most accomplished Cuban musician, and one of the most influential and dynamic musicians in Cuba during the second half of the 20th century.

Discography: You can’t cover the sun (1988), Salseando (1990), In the street (1993), From NG to Curaçao (1993), Panoramic Cabaret (1993), NG arrived, camera (1993), NG La Banda. The one who rules (1994), The witch (1995), Give it a lemon (1995), Live from the patio of my house (1995), Our man in Havana (1995), “Best of NG La Banda” (1997), Son Cubano (2000), Bailemos. NG la Banda performs Almeida’s songs (2006).