"One day Bebeto came to my house and, sitting there, we began to talk. I said to him, 'Bebeto, let's form a band so that we don't grow old sitting here alone in our houses doing nothing.' We put together the group, rehearsing and making it hot. After three months we did a television programme and it raised the dust, people loved it and so we went on rehearsing. Then, as we were going along, the tres player and the guitarrist died but we went on battling, looking for fellow musicians and here we are, battling on in order to give the maximum."

Los Jubilados were formed by two legendary singers from Santiago de Cuba: Mario Carcassés and Juan Gualberto , 'Bebeto' Ferrer, (Ibrahim Ferrer's cousin) who decided to come out of retirement and return to their music. They brought together veteran musicians from the legendary Santiago dance orchestra of the 50s and 60s, the Conjunto Cubanero and, since their formation in 1996, they have won, several times over, Best Sonero Band of Santiago de Cuba, and were recently awarded the prestigious 'Premio Especial', Cubadisco '99, for their debut CD, 'Cero Farandulero'.