Buena Vista Social Club

http://grooveshark.com/s/Chan+Chan/sGlpI?src=5

Wow! Que ritmo! Que vida!

Thank you Ry Cooder and Juan de Marcos Gonzalez for the Buena Vista Social Club. This is THE album to own for any latino trying to touch that golden age in Cuban music history. I wish I had had the opportunity to see these tremendous musicians play in their hay-day at the actual Buena Vista Social Club in Havana, Cuba. The entire film is just an excuse to make you want to get up out of your chair, or sofa, and dance the night away. Its funny to say this being that I don’t consider myself the type to want to go out and dance, but that’s what cuban music does! It evokes that salsa animal lying deep inside of you to want to leap out and just polish the floor with your salsa steps.

As a latino who tries to immerse himself in as many different types of musical genres, especially those involving latin roots, I have to admit my knowledge of cuban music stopped at Celia Cruz. In my eyes, Cuba was a nation better known for producing baseball players than music (save for Celia) and therefore I rarely paid it much attention when it came to music. Whenever I thought of salsa music I always thought Puerto Rico. This was where all the big named salsa singers came from whenever I saw them on TV. I thought all good caribbean music came from Puerto Rico. Boy was I wrong. I feel as though I’ve been missing out. As I speak, or type for that matter, I find myself trying to download the album for which this movie is named.

All of the artists showcased in this movie were supposed to be of a past generation. Just another group of old geezers. You see them walk and you think these people probably can’t say 3 words without sucking air through an oxygen mask. Wrong again.The vocals of Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo sucked me in within seconds of hearing them. The soothing tunes they brought were crazy good. Then came Compay Segundo… WOW! This dude, at 89 years… He was God’s gift to us all. That’s the only way of putting it. This life-loving man who was full of charisma was also talented with a trova guitar even at this age. His good friends Ruben Gonzalez (pianist), Eliades Ochoa (guitarist), and Barbarito Torres (cuban laud) were also of note. What am I saying! They were ALL great! These old men, and woman, put together the type of music that could win a Grammy year after year after year. With music like this, it’s hard to see how “artists” such as Lady Blah Blah can be listened to. Honestly. I believe that REAL artists don’t need glamour, flash, and fancy props to be great. All you need is a fusion of charisma, rhythm, and a great beat. The Buena Vista Social Club didn’t have one. They had thirteen.