Jose Peña Suazo had previously worked with Latin music makers including Alfonso "Pochi" Vásquez and Kinito Mendez. In 1994 Suazo went on his own and formed his own group which he named "Jose Peña Suazo y la Banda Gorda", dubbed 'Banda Gorda' for short. The group's first album "Libre al fin", was released on April 19, 1994. The group has made albums regularly, though not yearly, ever since.