Kerubanda
Kerubanda, headed by accordionist Kerube Ortiz, is a merengue tipico band from the Dominican republic. They are known for their authentic perico ripiao, their rendition of Negro Cruz y Tono Colon, and rivalries with fellow musicians Geovanny Polanco and, especially, El Prodigio. Their band includes guira, tambora, accordion, bass, saxophone, and conga players.
History
Kerube Ortiz, the band's leader and accordionist, was born in Santiago Rodriguez in the Dominican Republic. While growing up as a child, his father bought him his first accordion which had 10 notes. With practice Kerube became a good player and performed at small parties and social gatherings. In the 1990s, Kerube formed Kerube Ortiz y su Cojunto Tipico in New York, whose population of Dominican merengue tipico musicians was starting to boom. Later, he formed "La Kerubanda", and made his debut on June 9, 2004 on a TV show called "El Show de Nelson" and made his first appearance live in Santiago Rodriguez, Dominican republic, on June 18, 2004. Growing up, his idol was famed merengue tipico accordionist El Ciego de Nagua, who also influenced El Prodigio and rivaled Tatico Henriquez.