CD: Buena Vista Social Club: Live at Carnegie Hall

Style: BVSC/AllStars - son | Publisher: World Circuit | Code: 080 | Year:2008

Number of discs: 2

Live recording of their legendary New York concert at Carnegie Hall in 1997 featuring Ry Cooder, Ibrahim Ferrer, Ruben Gonzalez, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo, Compay Segundo.

£16.00 inc p&p

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This July was the 10th anniversary of this recording, live at Carnegie Hall in New York, and this album is a memento celebrating that iconic moment when the Buena Vista Social Club captured the world’s attention and became golden ambassadors for Cuba and its music.

As the New York Times reported back then in 1998 “The concert was more than a musical occasion.” Due to the U.S. embargo on Cuba, most of the musicians had never been to America let alone played the Carnegie Hall and the night was an event and a celebration as much as a concert performance. Being on stage anywhere with those musicians and singers was a dream for me, recalls band leader, Juan de Marcos.  But Carnegie Hall was something else. It is one of the best venues in the world and I was just so happy to be there and to witness people like Rubén and Ibrahim on that stage. It was never supposed to happen. Except that it did.

After that night, it was clear they would not return as the US tightened visa restrictions. However, the show was immortalised in the BVSC documentary by Wim Wenders and the original album Buena Vista Social Club recorded in Cuba, which had been released the year before, went on to win a Grammy, become the biggest-selling world music record ever - more than 8 million copies to date.

Playing and singing is superb throughout and the live sound adds real energy to the BVSC favourites. El Cuarto deTula, a very old tune, is brought to life by Eliades Ochoa, Ibrahim Ferrer and Ruben Gonzalez on top form. From the opening Chan Chan sang by Ochoa and Compay Segundo to the closing moments of Silencio the duet by Ferrer and Omara Portuondo you are transported to Carnegie Hall.

It is sometimes forgotten due to the ubiquity of the Buena Vista ‘brand’ that this project had at its heart a genuine love and respect for Cuban music and culture. Some might see this album as a cash-in on global success of the BVSC phenomenon however one listen to the incredible musicianship and electric performance will be enough to dispel such cynicism.

Respect must be given to American musician Ry Cooder who produced this album and has stood firm against all attempts by the US government to prevent him from working with the Cubans.

Many of the original Buena Vista line up in this live concert have since died – Compay Segundo, Ruben Gonzalez, Pio Leyva, Ibrahim Ferrer. This recording is a fitting homage to their much missed talents and an excellent example of Cuban music at its best.

The double CD set includes superb photographs of the stars in the sleeve notes.