905 Mambo Train was born from the idea of emulating the sounds of the 1950’s Palladium era when the Mambo craze was in full effect, featuring the orchestras of Tito Puente, Machito, Mario Bauza and Tito Rodriguez. The Mambo is an up-tempo dance music that appeared in Cuba in the late 1930s, and by 1950 had taken the Latin dance world by storm. It is characterized by big band arrangements where multiple saxophones play repeated syncopated phrases, blaring trumpets punctuate the beat, all over a full rhythm and percussion section which make a long lasting mark with dancers all over the world.

​

     905 Mambo Train is led by percussionist Johan Aguirre. He was born in Callao, Peru and began playing Latin percussion instruments at 13 years of age. At 18 he was already playing the bongos, congas and the timbales in the Toronto Salsa music scene. In his early adolescence, he performed with Toronto Salsa acts such as Sensacion Latina, Grupo Mora, Vibra Son, and Son Ache and on occasion would play with celebrated Toronto Latin Band Domenicanada as a percussionist.

​

     Johan also leads the band Salsotika and has had the pleasure of accompanying international salsa singers such as Willie Gonzalez, Cano Estremera, Tony Vega, Roberto Blades, David Pabon, Chamaco Rivera, Ray Sepulveda, Ismael Miranda, Luisito Carrion, Yan Collazo, Nino Segara, Henery Fiol, Paquito Guzman, Vernis Hernandez, Edgar Joel, Giro, Anthony Cruz, and many more.