Chiquito Team Band is a Dominican salsa orchestra from Santo Domingo, led by the timbalero Rafael Berroa, known as Chiquito, and by Emmanuel Frías. Its own channel dates its founding to 30 June 2012.

Formation

Salsa-history pages say the two decided to start a new project called Chiquito Team Band, which gradually caught on; a music directory instead dates the group to 2011 and names Kelvin Saviñón as a co-founder. Berroa and Frías told Diario Libre in 2018 that it had taken them twenty years to reach success, and that they came from humble backgrounds.

Records

The group released the single «Lejos de ti» in March 2014 and its first album, «La industria salsera», in September 2014. «Tengo que colgar» and «Me marcho» followed in 2017, and its second album, «Los creadores del sonido», appeared in March 2018. The single «Ábreme los caminos», an unreleased song by the composer Osmany Espinosa produced by Frías, announced that album, which carried a symphonic sound with arrangements by Amaury Sánchez; the band had previewed the concept at the Festival Presidente. It later released «Me voy a gozar la vida» and «La rumba ta’ buena» (2021), «Ya supérame» (February 2022) and the album «Sin rodeos» (September 2022).

Touring and awards

In 2018 the band planned a tour of the United States and appearances at the Veracruz carnivals in Mexico, where it said its music is played, and looked back on 2017 visits to Panama, the United States, Colombia and Puerto Rico. It said then that it had been nominated to the Premios Soberano every year since its debut and had won four statuettes, one as Revelation and the rest as salsa group of the year. In March 2023 Diario Libre reported that it was named best salsa group again at that year’s Soberano ceremony.

Legacy

In 2018 Berroa named as other Dominican acts that keep salsa alive Yiyo Sarante, Asdrubar, Revolución Salsera, Sexappeal, Alex Matos, Michel el Buenón and David Kada, among others.