windsock

I finally was able to get my hands on this gem on CD the other day and it's spurred me to make this thread.

1997's Buena Vista Social Club is one of the most prolific Cuban albums to be released in the past several decades. Not to mention, the album rocks my socks off. It's a favorite of my Dad's too.

What are your opinions of this legendary disc?

adidasss

Wow, I'm super surprised no one has made a thread about this band in all these years.

Anyways, it's been a while since I listened to them, might give a whirl these days to jog my memory.

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windsock

It certainly holds up to this day. Chan Chan is a tune my Dad used to play a lot when I was a kid.

Lisnaholic

Welcome to MB, windsock.

Yes, this album was rightly popular and started the now famous re-discovery of Cuban Jazz. It was because of BVSC that I bought the spin-off album, Introducing Rubén González, which includes this wonderful leisurely, rambling instrumental:-



What instrument did your dad play, windsock?

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grindy

This is beautiful! Thanks, Lisna.

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Lisnaholic

^ I'm glad you like it! It's a rare pleasure that I am recommending to you, rather than vice versa.

Another virtuoso piano player from Cuba is Chucho Valdez, but he has mainly worked as a band leader, so this piano solo is not typical of his recorded stuff:-

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grindy

Impressive. Found two solo albums of his and also got some band stuff. Looking forward to having fun with it.
Thanks again.

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Psy-Fi

It was a classic the day it was released. Full of great, timeless songs from start to finish. There's also a live Buena Vista Social Club album and one of previously unreleased tracks.
I have all three as well as two of the solo albums from vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer and one from vocalist Omara Portuondo.
I saw Ibrahim Ferrer perform live with his band in 2002. He was 75 at the time but he sounded great and was moving and jumping around the stage like he was several decades younger.

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windsock

Thanks for the warm welcome! Great stuff with González too.

My dad, like his dad before him, is a multi-instrumentalist when it comes to stringed instruments. His big instrument though I suppose is the banjo which he picked up from his father, who was an upright bass player in a jazz band.

My dad's never really moved on from the music my grandfather played for him growing up, and always prefers artists from the 40's and 50's over anything remotely new that I play for him. He does have a big affinity for Bela Fleck though, mainly because of his banjo-playing. When I'm home and it's later and night I can hear him playing away in his bedroom while he watches whatever Hulu TV show he's hooked on at the time.

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p.j.

I love it as well as the cd Ry Cooder did with Cuban guitarist Manuel Galbán, Mambo Sinuendo. Both cds are wonderful and worth checking out.