Buena Vista Social Club on DeBaser: reviews, highlights, and Cuban son essentials

Buena Vista Social Club

Musical Group

Forfans of cuban son and world music, ry cooder listeners, and newcomers seeking authentic latin sounds.
1 Reviews 3 Definitions 2 Charts

The Profile

Buena Vista Social Club is a Cuban ensemble project assembled in the mid-1990s, produced by Ry Cooder and featuring veteran musicians such as Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Rubén González. The 1997 album sparked a global revival of Cuban son and bolero and was followed by acclaimed concerts, including Carnegie Hall, and a 1999 documentary film directed by Wim Wenders.

Cuban ensemble; breakthrough 1997 album produced by Ry Cooder; key figures include Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Rubén González; subject of Wim Wenders’ 1999 documentary; celebrated for authentic son cubano and bolero performed by veteran musicians.

A single, glowing review celebrates the Buena Vista Social Club album for reviving authentic Cuban traditions with elder masters under Ry Cooder’s guidance. It praises the blend of African percussion, Caribbean rhythms, jazz, and blues, steering clear of commercial clichés. The write-up highlights standout voices and players like Rubén González, Compay Segundo, and Ibrahim Ferrer. Verdict: highly recommended.

Notable Quotes

❝ Buena Vista Social Club is a film-documentary about the extraordinary Cuban musical tradition, unfortunately lost over the years, abandoned and impoverished until it ended up in the commercial cauldron becoming the "salsa" product (...not tomato and olives, mind you, I'm talking about music) and brought back in recent times to the beauty, class, and originality of a bygone era.