Born into a musical family, Luis Mario Ochoa was first influenced by his father, Luis Ochao Sr., a founding member of the romantic Cuban ensemble Trio Voces de Oro. After moving to Toronto in 1990, Ochoa formed his own group, Cimarrón ("free spirit"). The group's first album, A La Cubana, released in 1995, was followed in 2000 with La Fiesta. In 2005, Ochoa released Cimarrón, which integrates elements of jazz and features Canadian multi-instrumentalist Guido Basso as well as Cuban greats Paquito D'Rivera, and Luis Ochoa Sr. A nominee for Canadian Latin Artist of the Year in 2007, Ochoa released his fourth album, Momentos Cubanos a year later.