Guaco is a Venezuelan tropical music group formed in Maracaibo in 1968 by Mario Viloria, Alfonso "Pompo" Aguado, and Fernando Domínguez. Gustavo Aguado also joined as a founding member in the late 1960s, later becoming the group's lead vocalist, general director, and primary leader. The group's name originates from a bird called the "guaco" that flew over Viloria's house, which served as the band's initial rehearsal space. Originally starting as a traditional gaita zuliana group, the band began to diverge from traditional structures during the 1970s by integrating elements of salsa, electric guitars, and violins.
Over the following decades, Guaco developed a highly distinct fusion sound that integrated gaita, salsa, pop, jazz, funk, rock, and vallenato. This unique instrumentation transformed the 22-piece ensemble into one of Venezuela's most successful musical acts, eventually achieving international recognition and winning a Latin Grammy for Best Contemporary Tropical Album. While the group continues to perform gaitas during Christmas seasons, their signature style is defined by this diverse tropical fusion.
Guaco's extensive discography spans over several decades, with notable releases including Presente Continuo (2015), Guaco Es Guaco (2016), Bidimensional (2017), and Sin Peligro de Extinción (2018), alongside live albums such as Sinfónico (En Vivo) (2018) and Japón (En Vivo) (2021). The band has continued their active recording career into 2025 with the releases of Julio Rivera: Guaco 50 and El Sonido De Siempre, Las Voces De Hoy.
