The remarkable Cuban group Sonora Matancera was founded in 1924 by guitarist Valentín Cané. One of Cuba’s first co-operative bands (which may explain their extraordinary longevity), they established themselves at many of Havana’s prestigious venues before making their recording debut in 1928. Over the decades they have recorded over 4,000 songs for numerous labels, and worked with more than 60 singers (both Cuban and non-Cuban), including Celia Cruz, Daniel Santos, Miguelito Valdés, and Justo Betancourt. In 1962 they took up residence in New York. In June 1989, 13 former lead singers reunited with the Sonora to celebrate their 65th anniversary. They continued to perform into the 2000s.