2012 - Escultura - Self-Released

01- A Plena Vista (José Alfonso Quiñones)
02- Quisiera Que Pudieras (ft. Andrés Cepeda) (Julio César Rodríguez)
03- Tan Fácil (ft. Lena Burke) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
04- Déjate Llevar (ft. Chino y Nacho ) (Daniel Barón/Nacho)
05- Por Esa Forma (ft. Rubén Blades) (Jorge Luis Chacín)
06- La Cremita (ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
07- Quiéreme Así (José Alfonso Quiñones)
08- Dame (ft. Jorge Luis Chacín) (Jorge Luis Chacín)
09- Con Solo Un Beso Tuyo (ft. Luis Enrique) (Julio César Rodríguez)
10- Cada Vez (Luis Leal)
11- Dámelo Todo (ft. Claudia Santos) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
12- Vivo (José Alfonso Quiñones)

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas (tracks 01, 04, 07, 11) Ronald Borjas (tracks 04, 10, 11, 12), Gustavo Aguado (track 03)
Bass: Rafael Querales
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Julio Flores
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

Guest Musicians:
Maracas: Ernesto Laya (tracks 02, 04, 05, 06)
Trombone: David González (track 07)
Tambora & Guira: Ricardo Montiel & Armando Montiel (track 12)

Production Credits:
Produced by Juan Carlos Salas & Gustavo Aguado
Executive Production: Gustavo Aguado
Recorded & Mixed by Juan Carlos Salas at Guaco Estudios (Caracas)
Mastered by Erik Aldrey at Estudio Galactica
Graphic Design: José Luis García R.
Photo: Ramón Castillo
Cover Sculture: Alberto Cavalieri

As a new decade approached, Guaco decided to push further in its pop pursuits, adopting the "Santana" approach: an album featuring lots and lots of guest singers in a bid for Grammy attention. As with most things Guaco, it worked and they got their Grammy nom. A Plena Vista is a fun number. Rubén Blades finally gets to sing a Guaco song after 20 years of trying. Gilberto Santa Rosa sings the lewd La Cremita, where he gets to display his amazing improvisatory skills. Luis Enrique (by now, both he and Santa Rosa are pretty much honorary Guaco members) sings a fine romantic number. Ronald Borjas got an offer to start his solo career after this album, and he gets to say goodbye with the gorgeous merengue, Vivo. Ronald and the band wouldn't mend their relationship until a decade later. Shortly after the album was released, sax man Flores departed for Colombia and the great Rafael Greco came back. 

2012 - Guaco Histórico DVD - Self-Released

01. Eres Más
02. Pa Ti
03. Lo Eres Todo
04. Quiero Decirte 
05. Siempre Juntos (ft. Kiara)
06. Todo Quedó, Quedó (ft. Nelson Arrieta)
07. Regálame Tu Amor (ft. Nelson Arrieta)
08. Si Usted La Viera (ft. Jorge Luis Chacín)
09. Como Será (ft. Jorge Luis Chacín)
10. Como Es Tan Bella (ft. Luis Enrique)
11. Me Vas Llevando (ft. Luis Enrique)
12. Ella (ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa)
13. Ya No Eres Tú (ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa)
14. Confusión (ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa)
15. Medley (Noche Sensacional/Billetero/Pastelero/Cepillao/Un Cigarrito Y Un Café/Me Gustan Las Caraqueñas/La Radio)
16. Sentimiento Nacional (ft. Everybody)

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Ronald Borjas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Rafael Querales
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Julio Flores
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

Actually recorded sometime in 2011, the Guaco Histórico tour saw the band reuniting with some of their former members (even patching things up with Arrieta!) and touring all around the country. The show was a big 3 hour extravaganza featuring 30 plus songs, but even if the DVD is somewhat shortened the end product still runs about an hour and 45 minutes. Chacín and Arrieta are always a welcome addition, given how many classics they sung but Luis Enrique and Gilberto Santa Rosa make the most of their stage-time as well. All around, a great time was had by all, even if gems like Luciana and Simplemente were left on the cutting room floor. (The editor told me the extra numbers just wouldn't fit a standard DVD!) 

2014 - Presente Continuo - Self-Released

01. Baja (Enghel-Jose Alfonso Quiñones)
02. Sueño Contigo (Daniel Barón)
03. Dímelo (ft. Los Amigos Invisibles) (Mauricio Arcas)
04. Ahórrate El Llanto (Guianko Gómez-Efraín Dávila)
05. Así Es Que Comienza (ft. Fonseca) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
06. Todas Las Cabezas Están Locas (ft. Alex Cuba) (Alex Cuba) 
07. El Calor del Corazón (Julio César Rodríguez)
08. Te Lo Tengo Que Decir (Daniel Barón-Juan Carlos Sánchez)
09. Ahí Es Donde Yo La Gozo (ft. Victor Manuelle) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
10. Me Sube El Calor (ft. Issac Delgado) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
11. Tu Eres Para Mí (ft. Enrique Heredia Negri) (Eenrique Heredia Negri)
12. Siento Tu Amor (ft. Felipe Peláez) (Felipe Peláez)
13. Sígueme (Julio César Rodríguez)
14. De Tí Me Volvería A Enamorar (Carlos Gómez)
15. De Vuelta A Tu Corazón (Guiako Gómez-Efraín Dávila)
16. Jugando Lento (José Alfonso Quiñones)
17. Un Dia Más (ft. Servando y Florentino) (José Alfonso Quiñones)
18. No Te Acuerdes De Mí (Jhon Ubaque "D'artañan")

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas (1, 4 7,15), Elahim David Monicou (8, 13 16), Diego Rojas (2, 14), Gustavo Aguado (18)
Bass: Rafael Querales
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

Guest Musicians:
Cajón: Diego Álvarez (11)

A big, messy double album. Baja finds Guaco getting closer and closer to reggaeton, it's actually pretty close to timbatón, to my ears. Ahórrate El Llanto is a fine number, even if I get the general feel that Guaco in its straight-up dance numbers feel like they have a straightjacket on. You know, as if they need to hold back on the arrangements and chops in order to guarantee its commercial appeal. Te Lo Tengo Que Decir is a lovely romantic number, as is the Alex Cuba appearance. Timba.com favorite Issac Delgado finally gets to sing with Guaco and turns in a stellar performance, with a sweet slowburn feel. Victor Manuelle is great on the timba Ahi Es Donde Yo La Gozo, which was used as a jingle for ESPN Deportes Sunday Night Baseball. Luis Fernando turns in an Archipiélago-like vocal on De Vuelta A Tu Coraón. Lastly, Gustavo Aguado closes things out with a tearjerking bolero. All in all, there's a pretty great 14 song album hidden somehwere admist the lesser songs. (Sigueme is particularly grating). On streaming platforms (and International release) it was split into two albums. For this release, Elahim Monicou replaced Ronald Borjas, but it was clear to every hardcore fan he was not a guaquero at heart. Diego Rojas joined a bit later and sings a couple tracks.

Fun fact: around 2015 I saw both Diego and Luis Fernando at a Pupy and Klimax show in Maracaibo. Bassist Querales left around 2015 for Miami and in his place came Henry Paul Diaz, who spent many years performing with Yordano. 

2016 - Guaco Histórico 2 - Self-Released

01. La Turbulencia 
02. Para Ella
03. Sueño Contigo
04. De Vuelta A Tu Corazón
05. Baja 
06. Señor Weiss (ft. Jorge Luis Chacín)
07. Canta (ft. Jorge Luis Chacín)
08. Zapatero (ft. Nelson Arrieta)
09. Solo Por Tí (ft. Nelson Arrieta)
10. Ahí Es Donde Yo La Gozo (ft. Victor Manuelle)
11. Castígala (ft. Victor Manuelle)
12. Un Día Más (ft. Servando Y Florentino)
13. Las Caraqueñas (ft. Servando Y Florentino)

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Elahim David Monicou, Diego Rojas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Rafael Querales
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

Recorded around 2014 with Monicou still in the band, this MP3-only album was released in a promotion with a local cinema company. You had to buy the Guaco popcorn combo in order to get a download card with the songs. I'm not kidding. Chacín sings the fairly obscure Sr. Weiss and a solo song, Arrieta does the classic Zapatero plus a solo song. 

Just like its predecessor, Guaco Histórico 2 is a great time and their most salsa concentrated release in years. They won a Latin Grammy with this record. 

2017 - Bidimensional - Self-Released

1. Aguas de Cristal
2. De Vuelta A Tu Corazón
3. Si Usted La Viera
4. Las Caraqueñas
5. Regálame Tu Amor
6. Si Mis Paredes Hablaran
7. Lágrimas No Más
8. Se Nos Fue El Amor
9. Jokoh Jokoh (ft. Richard Bona)
10. Si Me Das
11. Dame Un Beso
12. Llenarte De Amores
13. Préstame Tu Boca
14. Lágrimas No Más

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Mark Meléndez, Diego Rojas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Henry Paul Diaz
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

A record of halves. Side A features the Simon Bolivar Symphonic Orchestra directed by Gustavo Dudamel. Now, I'm pretty unqualified to critizise the orchestral arrangements, and it's hard to say if they are the definitive versions, but they're worth a listen or two. De Vuelta A Tu Corazón shines the brightest here and Las Caraqueñas gets a dark, industrial make-over. On Side B they continue the style displayed on Presente Continuo, with a star turn by Richard Bona. They finally do a straight Gente D'Zona style reggaeton with Lágrimas No Mas, and two versions of it is probably overkill. The cover was made by famed op-art artist Carlos Cruz Diez, who had also done 2000's Equilibrio cover. Like their previous album, this one too won a Latin Grammy!

2018 - Sinfónico - Self-Released

01. Tritsch-Tratsch
02. Las Caraqueñas
03. De Vuelta A Tu Corazón
04. Regálame Tu Amor
05. Si Mis Paredes Hablaran
06. Aguas De Cristal
07. Si Usted La Viera
08. Lágrimas No Más
09. Sentimiento Nacional
10. Me Vas Llevando
11. Mambo

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Mark Meléndez, Diego Rojas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Henry Paul Diaz
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

Around 2016 or so, there was an explosion of Symphonic concerts all across Venezuela, but especially in Maracaibo. All over town you would see the flyers for Argenis Carruyo and Carángano in a Symphonic setting, plus tributes to all kinds of music like Queen and The Beatles with Symphonic orchestration adeed as well. Given that Aguado is the kind of businessman not to miss out on trends, he went for it as well, except in a much bigger scale, getting Dudamel to run the show. This concluded in the Bidimensional/Guaco Sinfónico duo. I think the Orchestra is strangely removed from the band emotionally and Charanga enthusiasts will be disappointed by the arragements. But the concert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it goes down pretty smoothly. 

2018 - Sin Peligro De Extinción - Self-released

01. Los Huecos
02. Aguinaldo Maracucho
03. Mujer
04. Las Pulgas
05. Rosarina
06. El Muchacho
07. Perfecta Para Mí
08. Con Los Guaco No Hay Quien Pueda
09. Medley: El Centralismo/La Reforma/La Universidad/Piedad/Golpe Sabroso

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Mark Meléndez, Diego Rojas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Henry Paul Diaz
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

A straight-ahead gaita record,their first since 1994. It was recieved warmly and some of the arragements are a return to their more experimental selves. 

2021 - Guaco Sin Fronteras - Online show

01. Cuatro Estaciones
02. Me Muero De Ganas
03. Si Me Das
04. Dame Un Beso
05. Pa Ti
06. No La Juzgue
07. Te Lo Tengo Que Decir
08. Baja
09. Vivo
10. Sueño Contigo
11. Medley: Guaco Pa Tí/Movidita/Para Ella/Tú/Guaco y Tambora
12. Eres Mas
13. Lo Eres Todo
14. Pideme
15. Castigala
16. Todo Quedó, Quedó
17. Si Usted La Viera
18. Como Será
19. Lágrimas No Más
20. Ahora No
21. Dulce Y Bonito
22. Zig Zag

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Mark Meléndez, Diego Rojas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Henry Paul Diaz
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Percussion: Arnaldo Patatin Guacaran
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

In 2020, in the middle of the covid-19 pandemic, Julio Rivera died from pneumonia leaving behind a great legacy of timbal playing. Arnaldo Patatin Guacarán replaced him. Guaco decided to do an online show for fans, with a novel concept.

Allow me to explain, From 2018 to the present day: some of Guaco's members were now living and/or working in different countries given the hyper-inflation that still runs rampant to this day. For instance: Gustavo Aguado took a sabbatical in Miami, Kender Medina moved to Houston but flies out for tours, Luis Fernando Borjas became an instagram influencer, González did some work in Brazil, Gustavo Molero departed for Miami as well, but was still present for recordings, etc. Natually, this complicates things somewhat for a live show. MD Juan Salas had a brilliant idea: everybody was to record their parts for the hour and 45 minutes live set straight through in a green-screen and would then be edited together. Members would be placed on-scene as if they were holograms. 

I think the proceedings were brilliant, with the band sounding tight as ever and greatly benefiting from the isolated conditions for the live mix. Plus it is a rare instance of modern Guaco sans timbales as Guacarán hadn't learned the live set yet. Without timbales, Casanova and Quintero shine even brighter, turning in inspired performances to honor their departed friend. Many criticisms abounded in social media due to the lackluster video editing, and I concur, it resembles something from tik-tok, but it's a great shame that such a steller and unlikely performance was to be diminished because fans couldn't look past the picture. 

2021 - Japón - Self-Released

01. Los Huecos
02. Guaco y Tambora
03. María La Bollera
04. Medley I
05. Medley II
06. Sentimiento Nacional
07. Zapatero
08. Como Es Tan Bella
09. Me Vas Llevando
10. Todo Quedó, Quedó
11. SI Usted La Viera
12. Pídeme
13. Ella
14. Lo Eres Todo
15. Vivo
16. Quiero Decirte
17. Baja
18. Lágrimas No Más
19. Disco Guaco

Personnel:

Vocals: Luis Fernando Borjas, Mark Meléndez, Diego Rojas, Gustavo Aguado
Bass: Henry Paul Diaz
Piano: Edepsón González
Guitar: Carmelo Medina
Drums: Humberto Casanova
Trumpet: Juan Carlos Salas & Kender Medina
Trombone: Norman Cepeda
Sax: Rafael Greco
Tambora: Yonis Flores
Charrasca: Alexis Moreno
Timbales: Julio Rivera
Congas: Vladimir Quintero
Bongos: Gustavo Molero

Recorded during 2016 on their tour of Japan, this album was likely released as a corrective measure due to the criticisms recieved from their Sin Fronteras affair. More live albums are never a bad thing. Although it is a bit of a shame we haven't gotten anything from 93-2002 released. Plenty of stuff from that era abounds in youtube though. Anyway, the Japan set is a musical tour from their gaita beginnings to their unique brand of tamborera fusion. 

UPDATE: In shocking news, longtime singer Luis Fernando Borjas announced his departure from the band right before they were to embark in a short USA tour. Luis Fernando did indeed sang on this "goodbye tour", and promply announced a solo band right after his return to Venezuela. Suffice to say, the news came as a shock for every single fan. Nobody expected Luis Fernando to leave, as most had him penciled in as Gustavo's successor. Elahim David, who sang with the band in the Presente Continuo era came back as his replacement.