Juan Luis Guerra y 4.40

Juan Luis Guerra (born June 7, 1957 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is one of the most internationally recognized Dominican singer/songwriters. His pop style of merengue and bolero and Afro-pop/Latin fusion have garnered him considera

Juan Luis Guerra (born June 7, 1957 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is one of the most internationally recognized Dominican singer/songwriters. His pop style of merengue and bolero and Afro-pop/Latin fusion have garnered him considerable success outside the Dominican Republic. Juan Luis Guerra is sometimes associated with the popular Dominican music called bachata, and while this association is partially true, he actually uses the basics of bachata rhythm with a more bolero feel to the melodies in some of his songs. But he does not limit himself to one style of music, so he incorporates diverse rhythms like merengue, salsa, balada, rock, and gospel. "Ojalá que llueva café" is one of his most acclaimed pieces.

After studying philosophy and literature for a year at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Guerra switched to the Conservatorio Nacional de Música where he finished his undergraduate study. Guerra was a great admirer, at this time, of the music movement nueva canción, embodied by Pablo Milanés and Silvio Rodríguez, among others.