Buena Vista Social Club
Ry Cooder’s name has helped bring attention to this session, but it’s the veteran Cuban son musicians who make this album really special. Reminiscent of Ellington in its scope and sense of hushed romanticism, Buena Vista Social Club is that rare meld of quietude and intensity; while the players sound laid-back, they’re putting forth very alive music, a reminder that aging doesn’t mean taking to bed. Barbarito Torres’s laoud solo on “El Cuarto de Tula” is both more blinding and more tasteful than any guitar showcase on any recent rock album; a quote from “Stormy Weather” and some very distinct parallels to Hawaiian styles remind us of why it’s called “world music.” –Rickey Wright
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars amazing
this cd is amazing and would have been a shame if it was never put on a cd. Even if you don’t know spanish, pick this cd up because it has an upbeat vibe to it. It’s something that you can just put on the stereo and clean the house to, or listen on a road trip. Inside the cd you get a nice little booklet with info about the songs, artist, and the english translations to the songs along with pictures of the band. I highly suggest this cd to any music fan.
5 Stars Buena Vista Social Club
The two CDs recently purchased featuring the Buena Vista Social Club of Cuba are among my favourites. The opening number, Chan Chan, has a hypnotic rhythm which makes me want to play it over and over. The musicians who feature on this CD are outstanding. Ibrahim Ferrer (now deceased) had a voice like dripping honey.
It was just greatly fortuitous that Ry Cooder managed to track these people down in Cuba and record a number of CDs with them before several passed away.
Listen to the sample tracks and decide for yourselves!
5 Stars The Holy Grail of Cuban Son
Imagine that a tropical island lies less than 100 miles from the coast of Florida. Imagine that on this island live the Spanish equivalents of Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald and Chuck Berry. Imagine that 40 years ago this island nation was taken over by a militant dictator and that these musicians were not heard outside of their island for decades.
You don’t have to imagine since it all happened.
Besides being a great guitarist, Ry Cooder is perhaps as valuable to the world as an arranger, producer and discoverer of fertile musical ground. Invited on a trip (through Mexico) to Havana, he was amazed to discover that many of the legendary performers of the old Buena Vista Social Club were still alive and performing vibrant music. With the weight of Mr. Cooder these Cuban All-Stars gathered for an historic six day recording session. The velvety-voiced Ibrahim Ferrer is joined by 70-ish “Fiancee of Feeling” Omara Portuondo and fiery Compay Segundo. The group is anchored by bass virtuoso Orlando “Cachaito” Lopez. The sound is built around the expert piano work of Ruben Gonzalez, blending his classical training with the seductive rhythms of Havana.
Many of these brilliant musicians have passed since this 1997 recording, but as a result most were able to tour the world, bringing their musical diplomacy to Carnegie Hall, Amsterdam, Spain, France, Reykjavik…
We are indebted to these musicians, and to Ry Cooder for finding these lost treasures.
5 Stars Grab a mojito and close your eyes as you listen to this beautiful collection of music…
if you have ever wondered what it was like to wander the streets of old Havana at dusk, this is the cd for you. Old world charm, bittersweet songs of sadness, romantic love stories and upbeat melancholy musings turn every day into a sunny day. Grab a mojito and enjoy!
5 Stars Beauty defined
Despite listening to this album perhaps a million times, it never fails to put a tear in my eye while making me feel immensely happy at the same time. Heck, it sounds better with every listen. What else can you ask for in a record?
In the liner notes, Ry Cooder writes that listening to music should be approached like taking part in a treasure hunt. This record is a gold mine.
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