Oral Fuentes
Oral Fuentes is a Belizean-Canadian reggae musician best known as the founder and front man of the Oral Fuentes Reggae Band. Also primarily influenced by reggae his music also incorporates other elements of Caribbean and Latin rhythm including the musical styles of Soca, Punta rock and Brukdown, forms of Belizean music .
Fuentes began playing in a multicultural band, ‘Caribbean Jam', in his native Belize where they began playing for many local and events across the country. During the early stages, the band travelled extensively to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Suriname, Guyana, United States, and several islands in the Caribbean.[1]
In 1989 Fuentes began studying at the Academy of Performing Arts in Cambridge, Ontario. During this period he wrote songs with 'The Warriors' rock band and 'Soul'd Out' a soul/blues band, both from the Academy and made numerous trips to Nashville and New York City to perform.
He moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1992 where he has performed at the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and many other festivals and cultural shows.
Fuentes was a friend of Andy Palacio who was one of Belize's most famous musicians of the punta genre. On his death on January 19, 2008 he was reported as saying "I am indeed very sad to hear the news of Andy passing. I've known Andy for years... as a fellow Belizean I feel the pain. Belize has indeed lost a Hero.[2]