Jean-Juste, the man behind the camera at The Riverdale Press

Gary Jean-Juste of Queens is the new photo editor for The Riverdale Press. He replaces Hiram Alejandro Durán, who has taken a fellowship position on the west coast with Catch Light California and Report for America.

Jean-Juste has spent the past six years working in Brooklyn for at HQPixel Studio, assisting clients with the proper use of photograph equipment and accessories while also managing photo shoots. He has also worked for two outlets as a sales photographer.

He earned bachelor’s degrees from both New York College of Technology and City College of New York in Manhattan.

In addition to being a professional photographer, Jean-Juste is skilled in public relations, social media management, filming, video production and streaming.

“We look forward to seeing all that Gary brings to the photo editor job here at The Press,” said Gary Larkin, The Riverdale Press editor. “We believe his talent will complement the great coverage that we provide.”

Jean-Juste served as a camera operator for DCTV in 2016 at CUNY and served on the management crew of “Tanya Solomon: Truth Assassin” in 2016.

Cuban legend Formell dies on Lehman stage

Juan Carlos Formell, the bassist of the Cuban band Los Van Van, died of an apparent heart attack May 26 while performing at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. He was 59.

He was the son of the Cuban musical legend Juan Climaco Formell Cortina, who died in 2014.

Born on Feb. 29, 1964, Carlos Formell was a fourth generation musician. He fled Cuba for the United States in 1993 after becoming a sideman for some of Cuba’s great jazz musicians.

He would later form his own band, signing with Wicklow Records in 1998, according to a biography by World Music Central. And in 1999, his debut album, “Songs from a Little Blue House,” was nominated for a Grammy.

Los Van Van are widely recognized as a genre-creating band. Alongside artists like the Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and Creedence Clearwater Revival, Los Van Van are distinguished as a band that changed the course of popular music for an entire generation.

The New York Times reported May 30 Carlos Formell died on stage at Lehman Center, which was confirmed by his romantic and musical partner Danae Blanco.

Carlos Formell had hypertension and arteriosclerosis, the Times reported.

“The passing of Juan Carlos Formell was a great tragedy for all music lovers around the globe,” said Eva Bornstein, executive director of the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. “Another great legend left us.  We did everything in our power to take care of him.

“Los Van Van was amazing that night and deserves our great gratitude for being so professional despite such difficult circumstances for all of us.”