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Buena Vista Social Club

Buena Vista Social Club

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Customer Reviews

Thanks Ry Cooder for not playing this time

Rating: 5/5

I don't know if anyone else shares my feeling about this, but the only thing we can thank Ry Cooder for is bringing this amazing slice of history of what I consider our Southern Appendix to the light of a demonstrably appreciative audience of which I count myself an ecstatic member. I give this 5 stars because it is an amazing journal full of amazing music made by amazing musicians. And Ry Cooder is one of them--just not this time or place. A careful viewing of this wonderful film catches Real Cubans making Real Cuban music not a little startled at the injection of Cooder's otherwise stellar slide playing into their performance. It was wholly uncalled for, and their reaction is not one of appreciation but rather the one we have when we are at a Ramones Concert, and Barry Manilow takes the stage. Just so anyone gets the wrong idea: I am a huge fan of Ry Cooder as long as he is playing Borderline where he belongs, and we all owe him a huge debt first by recognizing the treasure we have been missing, and by bringing this film about at all. And for that we can forgive him much, but it's too little, too late. There it is for all to see forever into eternity. It was simply awful. And disruptive, and entirely inappropriate. There is NO PLACE in Cuban music for slide guitar. None. Cuban music is precise, totally rhythmic, and although created on analog instruments, almost digital in its execution. American Swamp Slide does not resonate with this music. It sticks out like a sore thumb, and Every Time Cooder injects his mojo into the mix, the thing sort of popcorn farts and would die if it were not for the otherworldly professionalism of these amateur and largely ignored Cuban virtuosos. They are taken aback, they look at Ry with a WTF that we can barely detect because they have so much class, and then they carry on in spite of this arrogant puppy like incursion into their sacred domain. Sorry, Ry, I love you, but you should have sat this one out and not tried to be part of the Club. It would have served us all a whole lot better if you had apprehended your true part in this play to have produced THEM and brought THEM to us unvarnished and untainted by anything other than themselves. Yes, they still get 5 stars because of who they are and their simply incredible story, but it was not your story nor your part, and we should have never seen your face or heard that glorious slide at all. Ever. My only wish is that you could do it all over again and heed this advice. But I am not holding my breath for reunion. Ego comes and goes, but cinema is forever. 2 bad. Hugs and kisses.

Simply The Best

Rating: 5/5

I first became aware of this album when I watched the Buena Vista Social Club movie. I was intrigued by the fact that Ry Cooder and his son traveled to Cuba and looked up the musical masters that time forgot. Although each of the musicians on the album had reigned supreme in their musical genre of choice, they were all but forgotten in modern times because they lived in Cuba and were effectively cut off from the rest of the world. Fortunately, Ry Cooder succeeded in bringing their magic to a whole new generation and to audiences that they might have otherwise never reached. Some of the songs are achingly beautiful love songs while others are meant to get you up and dancing. This is by far one of my favorite CD's.

Excellent, experience.

Rating: 5/5

Everyone should have this CD. It's a must. Buy it and thank me later!!!!

In Defense Of The Cuban... Music

Rating: 4/5


Usually when I write about Cuba in this space it is to review something about Fidel Castro, the July 26th Movement , or Che as part of the defense of the Cuban revolution and the struggle to break the American blockade that has lasted since the early days of the revolution and makes no sense whatsoever today. But enough of politics, as least direct politics, for a minute. Here I review the, mainly, pre-revolution music as it has survived in post-revolutionary Cuba. Ry Cooder has produced this CD, as well as a well done film documentary, as part of an appreciation of the world music movement that has found a niche on the musical scene.

The centerpiece here is the `discovery' of the late Ibrahim Ferrer and the tradtional Cuban music associated with old Havana, with the old sangria religious rituals, and with the very real Buena Vista Social Club (a club house that has physically seen better days). Along the way we find that there is a very nice and thriving continuation of this old time music that Americans, for a time, got to hear as Ferrer toured the United States in the wake of the Cooder film documentary and the release of this CD. The booklet that accompanies this CD fills in the gaps about the sources of the music (in Cuban slavery/sugar cane days) and of the instruments used that are slightly different from the ones used here and also gives English translations of the Spanish lyrics. Dance away to this stuff.

Muy Bien, Gracias, Cuba

Rating: 4/5

If you like the BVSC movie you will like this cd just as much or more. Many of the songs on this cd are not in the movie and I have to say several of them should have been included in the movie, especially "Amor de Loca Juventad". Fans of the high energetic cuban dance music will find some of the songs tame in comparison but fans of gospel and Texas Swing will be please with the last 4 songs on the cd. Please buy and enjoy for many listening hours. A nice photo booklet giving the history of the composers and a translation of the lyrics is included.