El Equipo is a Dominican merengue orchestra founded in Santo Domingo in 1980 by singer Sandy Reyes and bandleader Dioni Fernández. Its career developed around a changing vocal line-up and recordings associated with the romantic era of Dominican merengue.

Formation and early years

Before the orchestra came together, Dioni Fernández had worked with Los Hijos del Rey, while Sandy Reyes had been part of Wilfrido Vargas’s orchestra. In an interview about the group’s beginnings, Dioni Fernández recalled that Bienvenido Rodríguez proposed bringing their projects together and that Yaqui Núñez del Risco suggested the name. The ensemble was first billed as «Sandy, Dioni y El Equipo». Songs from that early period include «El Guardia del Arsenal», «La Mina de Amor» and «Pun Pun Pun».

The vocal line-up changed over the years. Singers associated with the orchestra included Benny Sadel, Sergio Vargas, Pablo Martínez, Charlie Rodríguez, Kaki Vargas and Carlos David, who also went on to build careers of their own.

Recorded history

El Equipo’s discography includes «El Equipo (con Sandy Reyes)» (1981), «Dioni Fernández Y El Equipo (con Charlie Rodríguez)» (1983), «Los Diseñadores» (1984), «Fiesta & Fiesta!» (1985) and «Pasa la Vida» (1986). Later releases include «El Millonario» (1988), «Yo Soy Para Ti» (1992), «Homenaje A Julito Deschamps» (1994) and «Juntos de Nuevo (con Charlie Rodríguez)» (2007).

Legacy

The recordings and changing vocal line-ups trace El Equipo’s career from the early 1980s through later releases, documenting an orchestra that gave several voices a place in Dominican merengue.