Buena Vista Social Club

Just brought a couple of CD's cuz I keep getting recommended them :-

Buena Vista Social Club

Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer

WOW they rock, I don't normally do Latin music.

The Buena Vista Social Club came about when Ry Cooder went to Cuba with filmmaker Wim Wenders who documented the forgotten greats of Cuba.

10 out of 10

 

Excellent choices Sarge .

Worth checking out the DVD as well.

Sadly, they all seem to have been popping their clogs of late .

 

A rather (belated) welcome to the party! The BVSC craze happened about 2-3 years ago when the film came out (unmissable btw) but it's still awesome music.

I have them all (I think).

- The original
- Ibrahim Ferrer
- Introducing Ruben Gonzalez
- Ruben Gonzalez, "Chanchullo"
- Omara Portuondo
- Compay Segundo "Las Flores De La Vida"

+ the "Estrellas De Areito" disks and the recent Ry Cooder "Mambo Sinuendo" CD.

Gonzalez died recently - IMO one of the best pianists that ever lived, classical or jazz and a tragedy that he was only "rediscovered" so late in his life and that he lived for the most part of his life without even a piano at home

I think Compay Segundo died recently too. His "Tres" solo on track 4 of the original BVSC CD is totally mesmerising

The various hip bars and cafes unfortunately played the CDs way too much but that's now fading thank god.

Michael.

 

Im going to take a punt on the BVSC when I see it cheap. Anyone seen it for around a fiver online?

I never bought it 1st time round, dont know why? oh well never too late

Chris

 

class! I've seen he dvd, which I understand can be bought for about a fiver from amazon..??

 

£5.99 to be precise

 

All excellent, with the exception of Mambo Sinuendo, which is crap - no soul, no fire, well-produced elevator music.

 

I more or less agree with you Markus about Mambo Sinuendo. I wouldn't say it was crap but it's not a patch on the others.

Michael.

 

Another very good spin-off project is the Afro-Cuban All Stars -- their first album, A Toda Cuba Le Gusta, has more spunk than BVSC, yet manages to retain the natural vibe I liked so much about the latter. Features some excellent horn work and [cliche alert] tantalizing ryhthmic textures.

I also have their second album, Distinto Diferente, which is a bit more dance-oriented. Not a must-have.

 

Entirely agree with Thomas.

BTW, hi.

 

Markus, hi. It just sucks you in on a slow, dreary afternoon -- you don't even need a highly controversial slanging match about stands to get you to sign up.