Hailing from León, Spain, Manuel Quijano and his brothers Oscar and Raul formed the renowned rock en español trio Café Quijano, and the band released its eponymous debut album in 1997. Over a ten-year period, Manuel and the group would tour internationally, sell millions of records worldwide, and garner a pair of Grammy nominations, but Manuel sought the artistic freedom and recognition that come only with a solo career. Café Quijano split up after the release of their third album, and in 2007 Manuel Quijano issued Vidas y Venidas, his first album as a solo artist. The record's strong debut (immediately earning a spot on Billboard's European Top 100) served as a testament to Quijano's hard-earned reputation as one of his generation's defining voices. In 2009, Quijano continued his solo career with the release of the follow-up, entitled Santa Monica Boulevard. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez