Buena Vista Social Club

Score: 70 If you left a 1 star review with the reason stating why being it's not in English, get the fuck off this website. That isn't constructive, it's not a review, and it certainly isn't a review of the album. It's nothing and you're either a dumbass bigot or you don't know the right time and place for jokes. This album starts off incredibly strong and slowly throughout its runtime becomes a little more average and tame. All the while the production and instrumentation are great, but the tracks become slower and a bit less exciting. Very chill and enjoyable. This album also made me very hungry. I'm giving it a 5 to counteract some of the dumbfuck reviews

I felt like a sexy latino on a sun drenched beach in a quiet fishing town in Cuba sipping pina coladas and smiling at the world. Then I got angry that I wasn't on a beach in the sun, drinking and punched a wall.

Well, that was an unexpected joy to listen to. I don't understand a word they're saying but dang if I don't wish I did. They seem to be having so much fun. In some ways, I'm glad I couldn't understand what was being said. It made the whole album into a killer soundtrack for work that enhanced the experience but didn't distract me from the words I was writing. Musicality is so on point it should be bleeding. Just really great.

So yesterday, I got the Pogues, an Irish band..my heritage on my mother’s side. Today, Buena Vista Social Club, a Cuban group…my heritage on my father’s side. I’m not saying the generator is sentient (I am), but there sure have been a lot “coincidences” as I’ve embarked on this journey. Because of my aforementioned heritage, this record hits right for me. I’ve heard it many times before and enjoy it thoroughly. It’s great. It’s a glimpse into a culture that, for some reason, the government of the country I call home has made as difficult as possible to experience in person. They do business with countries that behead journalists and countries that practice the same type of government as Cuba’s, but that little island 90 miles from Florida, they’re the ones we really need to put in an economic chokehold. It’s not because they’re inherently bad, it’s because *we can*. I’m ranting, but it’s fucked up how America treats Cuba, so it’s nice to have a slice of that part of my genetic make up (in the form of this record) that I can visit without having to bend over backwards to experience - All I’m saying is that it would be infinitely easier for me to hop on plane and visit Ireland than it would for me to even think about getting to Cuba. Well, this review turned out to be depressing.

I love this album. Haven’t listened to it in a long time. It’s the spirit of Cuba - and by extension - the Caribbean. The songs have a folk-tune, comforting quality to them that transfers to the listener, even if you can’t understand all the lyrics.

Perfect jazz album. Really took me to an happier place

Not in English.

What a way to while away a dark Monday morning. Instantly transported to a cool Cuban bar, with swaying rhythms and cocktails to hand. Perfect.

Like a refreshing sip of iced cool water, an immense breath of fresh air, a much needed sigh after undergoing a repetitious round of heavy lifting. No amount of language barriers can contain the musical synchronicity present in this album, a complete blessing from a country that was once forbidden and sequestered. No club is cooler than the Buena Vista Social Club.

Cuba's best musicians gathered together in 1997 to recreate the island sound of the 40's and 50's. This is what resulted and its fucking magical. Authentic and timeless. 5/5

Blended harmonies, sugary melodies, complementary percussion, buttery voices. A pleasing medley it'd be churlish to pretend isn't, well, pleasing. So I happily tolerated it and would be unlikely to object if I ever heard it again even though ultimately polite musicianship doesn't lift, cleanse or scratch my soul and music that tends too agreeable makes me a tad dis. If that sounds contrarian I guess that's because, to an extent, that's how I like my music - with contradictions and contradistinctions. To put it in a less assholish way: I tuned out a lot That seems to be part of the design here, which I don't get. That's like opting to get your hair stroked when you could get your butthole eaten ;) Okay, now I am being churlish. It was very pleasant.

Even though it compiles lots of different musicians, there is a great flow to this album. I particularly enjoyed the piano tracks. Highly recommended!

Whoa, nice! So soon we're back in Havana! I recognized this name immediately, and I realized that's because there's a documentary by Wim Wenders about this project that's in the Criterion Collection. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. This is some great Cuban music--less jazzy, and more organic than what we heard on Machito. At points I think it could use more energy, particularly in the vocal performances, but it's still a trip worth taking. I could never dislike an album like this. Inevitably though, when it comes to Latin-American music, I can't help but compare what I hear to Totó La Momposina's "Pacantó," which is one of my all-time favorite albums. This doesn't reach the same high-water mark for me, but it's still great. Lots on here to love. Favorite tracks: El Carretero, Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula. Album cover: Pretty simple photograph, but I think it's mostly effective. I really like the BVSC stamp, that's a really cool design. But I also think they could've gone with a more exciting, more culturally indicative picture. Actually, this reminds me of that Oasis album cover, What's the Story, Morning Glory. That was two years before this, so maybe these Cubans were huge fans paying homage to their love of Wonderwall. 4/5

I remember when this album came out. A bunch of white people were playing this in an effort to...I dunno, make themselves feel more culturally astute or some shit. It was weird. I'm not saying this is bad music because it's not. It's actually quite good. Whoever's playing these instruments knows what they're doing, their voices are pleasant. And I know the most liked review for this album is some butthurt idiot whining about how if the fact that you can't understand what they're saying bothers you, than you're a racist or some shit. I'm not bothered by this, but fuck him. Like I said, it's quite good, but I fail to understand what makes it significantly better than what I hear when I go to my favorite taco joint, though. I'm sure people could educate me, but I really don't care. Glad I listened to it, probably wouldn't listen to it again...or at least until I get some ground beef, a packet of Taco Bell seasoning, mexican cheese in a bag, grocery store tortillas and make my kid some tacos one night.

The concept behind "Buena Vista Social Club" (the album and especially the band) is fascinating. Today I learned the original Buena Vista Social Club was based in Havana and had its heyday in the 1940s. Fifty years later, this band was formed from an ensemble of Cuban musicians (some young, many retired after having been active in the 1940s). We shouldn't ignore the fact the project was masterminded and produced by white American Ry Cooder, which raises an interesting debate around the merit of Western-branded "world music": why must lists like these prioritise Latin-American/Caribbean, African or Asian pop tailored towards Western audiences? Putting that aside for a moment though, at its most basic reading "Buena Vista Social Club" sees an ensemble of retired Latin-American people celebrating the music bringing them all together, reaching back into a shared history of a pre-revolution Cuba. It's basically the Avengers of Latin-American popular music, which is super-cool. It really made me feel invested in the album and root for the people involved: here we have a group of dozens of musicians audibly having the time of their lives and getting lost in their work. It's a great set-up, although much of it ended up a bit lost on me. I'm a total novice in Cuban or Latin American music: I'd never heard of the trova or filin so can't appreciate the intricacies of those forms of music and how they're celebrated here. It was inevitable that after a few tracks, the similarities to my ears began to blend together and the album was best enjoyed as a background accompaniment to a sunny day. Highlights? The laid back piano running through "Pueblo Nuevo"- and the ecstatic release when the trumpet bursts in. The danceable high-energy of "El Cuarto de Tula" and "Candela". The call-and-response of "De Camino a La Vereda". I could, of course, still appreciate the emotions and vibes coming across: "Buena Vista Social Club" is carefree, relaxed, breezy. It's a lovely way to spend an hour and made me want to learn more about the styles/lyrical themes so that I could come back to this in future and enjoy it more.

This is not music I would normally listen to, but I can appreciate its quality nonetheless. The record starts of well with the energy and swing of Chan Chan and El Cuarto, but Pueblo Nuevo's, or danzon in general, is not something I would find time in my day to listen to. The slower Dos Gardeniaas and Veinte Anos bored me quite a bit. This is a well executed and original album, but it does not fit my music taste very well. Overall score is a 4/10.

Came across this before on another chart. It's pretty highly regarded and plays well- soothing and transporting so it's mood music. You don't need to know what they're singing about. In fact that helps to concentrate on the music. Highly accomplished ensemble - smooth and co-ordinated and although this grates on some people it really hits the spot with me. Superb.

My parents love Buena Vista Social Club, I grew up listening to this throughout my childhood. I don't think it's a perfect album but the vibe is immaculate, and frankly I cannot give any kind of objective review. Cuba has one of the highest doctor-to-patient ratios in the world, providing universal healthcare that is the envy of many developed nations, all completely free at the point of service. Following its revolution, Cuba eradicated illiteracy in a single year. Its literacy rate of over 99% is on par with global superpowers, achieved despite a crippling embargo. While powerful nations drop bombs, Cuba sends doctors. Its "army of white coats" has provided disaster relief and medical aid to victims around the world, from Pakistan to Haiti to Italy during COVID-19. This small island, under a relentless economic war, has developed its own world-class biotechnology industry and produced five COVID-19 vaccines, sharing them globally. Despite decades of pressure, Cuba's vibrant and unique culture—from music to art to dance—has not only survived but thrived, influencing the entire world. The U.S. blockade of Cuba is the longest sanctions regime in modern history, deliberately designed to cause hunger and despair to force political change. It's a blatant act of economic terrorism against a sovereign nation. The U.S. has attempted to assassinate Fidel Castro over 600 times using farcical methods like exploding cigars and poisoned wetsuits, showcasing a blatant disregard for international law and other nations' sovereignty. The U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay is a global symbol of torture, indefinite detention without trial, and human rights abuses, operating for over two decades in defiance of international condemnation. The U.S. record in Latin America is a blood-soaked history of orchestrating coups, propping up murderous dictatorships, and crushing democratic movements (Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Brazil) to protect its corporate and political interests. The U.S. military-industrial complex fuels perpetual warfare, dropping over 300,000 bombs on other countries since 2001 and creating millions of refugees, all while its own citizens lack basic rights like healthcare and housing. In short: Cuba, a small island, prioritizes its people and global solidarity. The U.S. empire prioritizes power, control, and profit, enforcing its will through economic starvation, covert violence, and open warfare. Hasta la victoria siempre!

Good fun, I’m trying to decided whether this would be better if I could understand Spanish or maybe because i don’t understand the lyrics it makes seem more profound. They are probably just singing about really mundane shit just like Taylor swift does.

What a refreshing album from a talented group of Cubanos. I can definitely see myself spinning this again in the future in order to set a mood, transport myself to another place, dance, or meditate on our brothers and sisters in this intriguing country. I can hear joy and pain in each song, much like Jamaican reggae or Latin/Mexican mariachi music. I am ready to get out of this country and hide in someone else's culture for a while....

File this away with Manu Chao in the 'things that I only ever listened to to impress girls' cabinet. Not memorable in any way, can appreciate that there's a range of styles there, but don't particularly enjoy any of them. Not unpleasant background music, so it can sneak a 2.

Fuck no! First world, early new century granola eaters going to have their latte to the fair and inclusive café right in their basement, and feeling great about themselves for oh such an open view on the world around them. Bleurgh!

Incredible! This music brings me so much joy. Perfect for listening, reading, cooking. This is a classic album that will stay in my rotation forever. Wonderful!

Each song conveys and incredible warmth and depth. Infectious beats, sweet melodies. Absolutely fantastic.

“Buena Vista Social Club” by Buena Vista Social Club (1997) Music by artists in their 70s looking back 50 years. Painful. An interesting project, but not the kind of soulful musical experience it could have been. Recording technique is (deliberately?) retrograde, apparently having all musicians performing together in one take, with all the attendant flaws of the method (fret buzzing, unplanned distortion, uncontrolled mixing, shallow texture, little to no separation, etc.). Songs lack variety, and individual performances are only fair. This album is mostly of interest to those who are nostalgic for pre-Castro Cuba. I’d prefer to throw out the communists and let young Cuban musicians develop a natural creativity. But I’m not in charge. 1/5

This album is awesome and all the musicians are killers. I like the old school style recording. The one mic in a room style sound took me back to when my dad would direct a symphonic band during rehearsals and one of the songs played was by Perez Prado. Ibrahim Ferrer is like a Cuban Nat King Cole. So many of the other musicians on this album went on to have solo albums and I'm glad. The documentary is great also.

Todo simplamente perfecto

Chan Chan is easily top 100 song. And the rest of the album brings me back to the trip Liz and I took to Cuba in 2017 in that brief window when it was legal.

Back when it came out, this was everywhere but in my ears somehow, and it’s lovely. The instruments sound like they’re within hand’s reach, set into intricate patterns - there’s a formality to this that enthrals. Everything has its turn and place, and you don’t need to understand the order to admire it. Sounds like these dudes played together for decades, which they probably did.

One of my all time favourites.

Great vibe throughout. Musicianship and cultural importance meets on this album. Sometimes the impact outstrips the actual music and this is one such case. Deservedly considered a classic.

have already listened to this a billion times

I love this album! So good, and Ry Cooder's musical contributions don't stick out.

i am shocked 81920480218409281094/10

❤️

Buena vista!!!!

Lovely album. Really enjoyed the Cuban vibes and African overtones. Dad enjoyed it too. I made him listen in the car. I would most certainly listen to this again

I heard “Chan Chan” in college in…music theory, I think? Anyway, I really liked that song, so I anticipate liking the rest of the album. Yes, I absolutely loved this album. It was so relaxing and beautiful and just good. I should download it.

I don't recall how or when, but I have heard of this band before. Regardless, I really enjoyed listening to this album. I love the rhythms and percussion, and all the layers of music on top of that great foundation. Such rich textures.

It's a nice easy listen, but I'm not really invested in it. I found it a bit much after about 6-7 songs. If I were watching them play in a Havana club while sipping a rum cocktail then this would be 5/5.

Love, love, love

Hasta siempre, comandante!

Joya de disco. No me canso de escucharlo. Un clásico de la música latina. Desde la primera vez que lo escuche se convirtió en uno de mis discos favoritos. Me encanta la combinación entre canciones con letra y canciones instrumentales. Para mi este disco es como una gran fiesta, bailas y cantas en las canciones con letra y te sientas a recargar fuerzas y a que te consientan el oído con las canciones instrumentales, aunque siempre puedes seguir bailando, a un ritmo más despacio, por supuesto. La calidad de músicos que conforman la agrupación es evidente mientras avanzas con las canciones. Los ritmos latinos, en repetidas ocasiones, te invitan a mover el cuerpo de lado a lado e incluso a bailar si es que estas de humor. Simplemente genial y divertido.

Cuba has Buena Vista Social Club and better healthcare, why would anyone willingly live in the US instead of Cuba?

Excellent album that brings together a who's who of Cuban musicians to create something truly wonderful. This album is at once listenable, danceable, and features some amazing musicianship and arrangement. This will going into my rotation.

I mean, its an all time classic of all time! The idea behind Buena Vista Social Club was to revive pre-revolutionary music of Cuba, listening to this record definitely paints that landscape.

It's the cheesy backpacker hostel mainstay, but still warms my cold heart

Heard this when it was released. Ridiculously enjoyable and authentic. One of my go to albums when I'm looking for something different.

Love this album, always feels like a tropical escape. Great songs, wonderful feeling I get from it. All in all fantastic for an album where I don’t understand a single word.

Memories 😊

Classic, no surprises

Muy bueno y sabroso

maravillosa musica cubana

Cannot beat this classic! Truly beautiful music from la isla. I played this for my abuelo and he wept.

All-time classic. Always enjoy listening to this, front to back.

This was so uplifting, relaxing and coooool. I really enjoyed it

Perfect

I need to listen to more latin jazz.

Sin lugar a dudas. Solo es cinco porque no hay seis.

Fantastic album, well worth a listen.

Some fantastic stuff on here bringing that kind of Latin jazz back to the forefront

Absolutely joyous.

This was a wonderful album to have on in the background while I worked today. Loving the latin sounds.

What a beautiful album.

Buena vista social club - cuban like!!!

Cool!

Good to start with this gem while it’s snowing like hell where I live. It completely takes me out of it. Makes me want sun, rum, cigars, a Cuban sandwich and somewhere to dance. The whole thing just feels easy. Beautiful, relaxed, and fun without trying too hard. Exactly what I needed. Would I own it on vinyl? Absolutely Food pairing Tacos, Cuban sandwich, anything with Latin flavours Wine pairing Sparkling, slightly funky white or orange. Cold and refreshing Easy 4/5 for me

It’s hard to imagine a label making the money available for a project like this today. Sending someone around the world to find talent for an international audience. The idea for this recording came about by chance when Ry Cooder’s planned Mali-Cuban collaboration LP fell through due to visa issues on the Mali end. It’s a story that you could base a movie on (in fact Wim Wenders did!) A large group of Cuban musicians, some celebrated locally in their time, shot into international stardom thanks to this unexpected mainstream success. You can split the album into two halves, both of which rely on the incredible musicianship which provides the record’s beating heart. The first half of the record is lively music to be listened to with large groups - there is a jubilant, celebratory vibe. The second half is a more intimate, romantic experience which you could get lost in, forgetting the rest of the world exists.

Back when this was new, I heard it and decided that I would be Cuban by the year 2000. It didn't work out, sadly.

I want to buy foodtruck now and sell some sandwiches

Ry Cooder was the one who founded the band to preserve the traditional Cuban music known as Son cubano and Bolero. He took several of the best musicians one could find in Cuba and recorded with them an album that made cultural borders dissapear as pretty much everyone felt and still feels the groove, the energy and the warmth these recordings give out. It is a magical album that no one will be able to replicate. The hour of playtime this album offers is filled to the brim with these special and one of a kind songs that transport you into the tropical streets and beaches of Cuba. The first track 'Chan Chan' already offers one of the albums most iconic moments. I don't know if it's just me but I feel like I always remember this song the most when I think about the album. The repeating lyrics that make up the hook and most of the song are just so easy on the ears while sticking in your mind for eternity. It is a beautiful song to begin the album with as it perfectly introduces a lot of the sounds and instrumental themes the album expands further on. It's genuinely one of the greatest non-english songs that I know of. Especially the trumpet bridge makes this such a mesmerizing experience. The next song 'De camino a la vereda' expands on the lush sound that the opener started. It is as memorable but with more happening throughout with more dynamic and melodic changes. the chorus is really great and the vocals are often as beautiful as you could imagine them. It is just such a lovely song to listen to with so many great and wonderful moments in it. I absolutely love it. 'El cuarto de Tula' goes a much jazzier way by not only having a sort of Jam sound to it but also by being pretty long with 7 minutes. But don't be turned away from that as it is another incredible song. It uses the trumpet in a very "Spanish" way, if you know what I mean. It really flows the whole way it plays without once feeling like it gets boring or unfocused. The different vocals that sometimes raise from the repeating chorus. A truely incredible song with many moments that add tons to the album. The instrumental 'Pueblo nuevo' seems to add a lot from early 20th century Jazz with the piano driven melody and the bass. It does feel a little out of place with the overall dense and lush sounds that the album featured so far but the song isn't bad because of that. It's a pretty good song with some nice moments and a great flow and some of the details are actually done really well, it just didn't NEED to be here. There is a lot of Bolero on 'Dos gardenias' which is actually a pretty short song when compared to some of the songs here with just a little over 3 minutes but it does get amazing pretty quickly. The vocals and their delivery are on point and the bass is really interesting here, I'm not even sure if it is an actual double bass. The song is really good but it doesn't achieve the catchiness that some of the first had. '¿Y tú qué has hecho?' keeps the Bolero ballad form while having some pretty decent vocals but the main attraction of this song is the guitar which flows so well throughout the song and when the time arrives to take the main presence, it does it perfectly. It's a great song but it does feel a little rough around the edges and like they could've pulled more out of it than they ended up doing. A female vocalist joins the established male cast of singers on 'Veinte años'. This song is what the last two did good but makes it better. The two vocal styles work together so perfectly that it keeps enough interesting moments for the song to feel much denser and fuller. It's slightly weird after the bridge but in the best way possible. A great song through and through. The albums second half starts 'El carretero' which is sonically also pretty different. It's hard to pin down what it is exactly but the drums are much different, the details aren't as all around but they still work and the structure and how the vocals are worked into that is just different. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful song and a lot of the "bird sounds" add much to the overall feeling the song gives off but it's just different. It feels a little like a sitar might pop up out of nowhere even if that doesn't really make sense. Great song... Great song... 'Candela' goes back to the sound that the album right when it started. It's a lush and energetic song with a great performance and incredible moments. This is how the album and the musicians work the best. These types of songs feel the most honest and warm and are simply the best way that Cuban music can sound: lush, dense, warm and full of great energy. It's a perfect song, no discussion. There is some interesting Blues incorporated in 'Amor de loca juventud' and it works really well. It's a lovely song with some nice performances and guitar work but I overall don't care for the song as much as I do with most of the other songs. But as I said, the guitar is the true highlight here. It's got the playful sound of a warm late night that you enjoy with loved ones on the beach. It's a great song, still. Similar to before, 'Orgullecida' adds some American touches, this time with Ragtime and some Bluesy nearly "Country"-like guitar. It's a cute song but it doesn't scratch the itch that most songs do here. I still like it especially because the vocals are really lovely but mostly the song moves past me without sticking certainly strong. 'Murmullo' goes back to the Jazz some very Jazz Pop sounding rhytmn sections and piano while still keeping the Afro-Cuban influences and vocal styles. It's a lovely song the feels like a great mix between these two genres but again, I prefer this album with the dense arrangements and less with the laid-back Jazz parts even if they are still great. The instrumental title track 'Buena Vista Social Club' follows with the same old Jazz sounding boundaries. Even if it lacks the vocals, it is presented in a very well working way by going much more into the Jazz than previous songs did which removes the expectations for the dense Cubano even if that means that it feels a little out of place in the album which does make me a little conflicted. It's a really good song but they could've pulled much more out if it than they did in the end. The albums closing track 'La Bayamesa' feels even more out of place. It's got neither the Jazz nor the dense Cubano. It feels more like a vocal centred Folk song of Cuba. It isn't a bad song, it's pretty good but it feels aged and like an extra that wasn't really needed. It's good that it's quite short because if it was longer it'd be pretty annoying. favourites: Chan Chan, De camino a la vereda, Candela, El cuarto de Tula, Veinte años least favourites: La Bayamesa, Orgullecida, Buena Vista Social Club, Pueblo nuevo Rating: strong 8 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

really good, a breath of fresh air when it came out in the heyday of Britpop. seemed to be played everywhere at the time, listening to it now brings back good memories of London bars and restaurants in the late '90s. thoroughly enjoyable [EDIT - 5 in a row that I own, how long will this pleasant but unenlightening streak continue?]

I want to play Tropico

Oh? Something Cuban this way comes? I want to get right into the tracks here because this is interesting to my small american brain. Chan Chan - This to me sounds like so many things but in it's own way. I hardly noticed that it was just two lines over and over again. The whole vibe is very cinematic, I think the American experience with these kinda of songs is mostly associated with the SouthWest, but this has a haunt to it De Camino a la Vereda - This one sounds... familiar? And that sounds weird to say. This sounds like a heavy Americana influence, as in what influenced it? It's beautiful. El Cuarto de Tula- Oh how fuuuuuun! Just a blast all around :) Pueblo Nuevo - This has a little bit of a ragtime feel to me? Is that weird to say? Love it Dos Gardenias - Blues! It's sultry it's wonderful, the syncopation really sells the whole track for me. Y Tu Que Has Hecho - This is probably the closest to what I feel like this album sounded like in my head before listening to. This to me sounds like Central America. Veinte Anos - Who is this lady and why does she have such a nice deep and rich voice, love love love. El Carretero - The little spoken sections in this are so fun, the guitars not actually playing on the beat and playing the parts around it are really cool too. Candela - Is this song about something passionate? My very limited spanish says candela translates to some sort of heat, and this really has heat. Either way, fun... Hey anyone, wanna dance the drama with me? >:) Amor de Loca Juventud - A light tune? This one seems more light. Without being stereotypical, if there were a music video for this one, I feel like it'd be a lot of scenes of the cuban country side and people having fun and that makes me smile. Orgullecida - I can't really center the vibes on this one? Murmullo - This really shows off how good the rhythm and piano section really are. That all feels great to listen to. Buena Vista Social club - This is the first time I've noticed the percussionist really shining. There's a lot happening here, and it's all very cohesive La Bayamesa - Awww, it's over? This seems like a great capstone for this album. Some overarching thoughts... Dear, that trumpet player. Trumpet player, you are amazing and wonderful and expressive and fabulous. This feels so put together. It's long. It's full of emotion. It's beautiful. Absolute gem to listen to Overall ratings: Album Rating: 92/100 Familiarity Rating: 0/5 Favorite Song: Chan Chan Most Famous Song: Das Gardenias Least Favorite Song: Orgullecida

AHHH! This is wonderful! Caribbean music isn't a thing that I've had an enormous amount of exposure to - media like films and games set there being the prime source. I've always loved that music, but lacked the leads to find more. Until now. These tracks are excellent, clearly the works of masters in their fields.

If you had told me before starting this journey that my first 5-star album was going to be 20+ Cuban musicians, many of them at least forty years into their careers, having a traditional music jam session, I would have called you crazy. *Buena Vista Social Club* locked the score before the third track was even over. Now, this isn’t to say that I went into this album expecting not to like it. It’s more accurate to say that I had no clue what I was going to hear at all. This album is one that I was sort of peripherally aware of in the context of having seen it in music sections at stores when it came out, but I didn’t know what it was, and besides I didn’t really buy a lot of music at the time. I’m not sure I would have even picked it up off the shelf, to be honest; my CD collection at the time was a mix of soundtrack albums and electronic music with a couple of Weird Al albums and a random disc of Beatles covers mixed in; I had a few more cassette tapes but that was a similar assortment, with a couple of Blue Note samplers in place of the electronica and a collection of old radio programs given to me by my grandmother in place of the soundtrack albums. So, this would have just completely missed my radar. 90% of my musical education after that came in the form of Rock Band video games, so… yeah. That kind of limited things since I wasn’t really getting out into the more varied genres outside of rock on my Xbox and pop or classic rock in the car. Basically, I wasn’t in the market for something like this. All that is to say… I never would have known what I was missing. Never knew what I was missing. The musicians on this album don’t show any sign that they had just been thrown together to record a few albums then scatter again, and you can hear how they’re just *enjoying* themselves in the studio. I know there’s a documentary that came out about these sessions. I don’t think that’s enough. I want to know what they were playing and recording that didn’t make it onto this album, or onto the 25th anniversary re-release. I really, really hope there will be more treasures like this one hiding in the next 1085 albums, because I need more surprises like this. Yes, I know I barely talked about the album here, but let’s face it, everything is subjective and this is what my mind said I should write here. 10/10, the only thing that disappoints me is that I had the original release instead of the 25th anniversary version so I don’t have a second disc of this immediately handy. And that’s not the album’s fault.

The album that really brought Cuban music to my attention. It has a great story and is still solid.

Used to have this on cd, got it on vinyl a year ago. Which adds to the feeling of nostalgia. There was a time you heard this album in every Mexican or Tapas restaurant, at the doctors office and in the supermarket. That was to much. I’m glad I only hear it now when I want to, like yesterday evening.

Really like this album. Great vibe. Makes me smile inside. Mildly tainted by it being over played at pretentious parties serving Mojitos in the late 90' early '00s. Still, if those twats aren't here while I'm listening to it, that's all good. 4

Confesso que possuo um certo preconceito com a música latina. Mas ao ouvir esse álbum e ler a história da criação dele. Definitivamente estarei mais aberto a escutar álbuns 'world music'. Pra mim, esse álbum soa muito familiar e nostálgico. Sensação essa que não sentia a muito tempo, até parecia que eu já conhecia as músicas

mui chevere primer album ke ya habia escuchado per una reescucha no hacenad mal, lo escuharia n el auto casi 10de10 raices pero no

Unbelievable Cuban/latin music! I heard of this album before and I knew Chan Chan but, I had never listened to the rest of this project. A really great surprise! The instrumentation of this album is masterclass, especially the brass section, guitar and vocals! If you interested in this album there is a documentary and it has an amazing history and origin! The highlight of this is definitely the vibe of it! You can really tell they have been doing it for years! My only lowlight is the length of the album but, for me that would never lower the score. I’d recommend Chan Chan, de Camino à la vereda, El cuarto de Tula, Dos gardenias, ¿Y tu qué es hecho?, Veinte años, El carretero, Candela, Amor de loca juventud, Orgellecida and Murmullo.

Shame I can only vote 5 stars.

This has been a favorite album since I saw the film decades ago. It was my intro to Afro-Cuban music, and it's still sets the standard for me. I love the energy of the instruments and vocals, wch are charged even in slower times, and I am fascinated by how the music and voices can sort of twine around one another like birds courting.

I wasn't immune to the moment BVSC had in the U.S., and this still goes hard and has layers of complexity that have revealed themselves over time. Super fun to revisit.

Where were you when you first heard the Buena Vista Social Club? For me, it must have been in a music class in High School, and then again with the full documentary in a university elective. I probably wasn't ready to care about this the first time, but the second, it was ear opening. The documentary definitely gives a different flair, seeing these hidden masters of Cuban music, forgotten on an island ravaged both by dictatorship and America's disastrous response to it. You really get a sense of how fragile these voices are… folks who enjoyed a very late in life resurgence due to this film, voices that may have gone extinct. As an album, it may be harder to gain the same context, but I find it hard to imagine that someone couldn't be sucked into the smoky music club of Chan Chan, Compay Segundo taking that baritone harmony and Eliades Ochoa on the high. It's something that conjures up an idealized night out, part discovery, part comfort, all vibe. This can be excellent background music, but there is so much going on for a close listen. It's a time capsule… these were the big names in Havana in the 60s, 50s, even 40s and 30s, and having these voices now aged, these instruments now a bit worse for wear, does something otherworldly to them, like a benevolently haunted music box. There is a very real timeline where we don't get to hear this music at all. In ours, though, many of these artists even got to release very late career albums of similar quality off the backs of this. Omara Portuondo, for example, shows up on one track (a standout, to be fair) and that's enough to bring us two stunning solo albums. I could, I suppose, see someone finding this a bit samey. I don't agree, but it is all in the same stylistic wheelhouse, and while one song might sound unique and exciting, 14 might be too much of similar rhythmic ideas, similar call and response vocals, etc. But for me, this is a pretty perfect document, with all those layers of sound, all those voices chiming in to remember the past and honor the music they made their living on. We should be so lucky that more music like this gets preserved so well for the future. 5*

Buena Vista Social Club | Buena Vista Social Club (1997) — 5 / 5 An absolute masterpiece. Listening to this album is pure fun, pulling you entirely into its world as you vibe to a rich tapestry of traditional sounds, from rhythmic son cubano and bolero to lively dances. The tracklist is incredibly deep, maintaining a flawless standard of musicianship from the very first note to the last. While "De Camino a La Vereda" is a massive standout that draws you right into its infectious rhythm, the entire experience is elevated by a staggering run of favored tracks. The hypnotic groove of "Chan Chan," the high-energy burst of "El Cuarto de Tula," the elegance of "Pueblo Nuevo," the romantic longing of "Dos Gardenias," and the brilliant interplay on "¿Y Tú Qué Has Hecho?" and "Veinte Años" all build a magnificent foundation. That brilliance carries all the way through to the back half with "Orgullecida," "Murmullo," the self-titled "Buena Vista Social Club," and the gorgeous closer "La Bayamesa." It is a flawless, vibrant time capsule.

I have no idea what they're saying, but the extraordinary sense of bliss i receive from listening to this album is immense. I love jazz, but i dont really listen to it that often. Hearing this album has opened my eyes to alternative jazz options, and not just those in English. This album is so groovy and yet classical at the same time. I love it

Love it

There is literally no occasion where I would not feel like putting this on. One of the great vibes.

A classic

Quite lovely of a listen, unclear what they are singing about but nice background noise while reading. I’ll seek out the documentary as I’d like to know more about the album and how it was created. Happy listening!

Incrível!!!

This is such a great album. There is some freedom in not understanding the lyrics, everything just becomes feel, and this album has a lot of that.

I'll rate this album with a straight 10/10,because of the calm and relaxing music that this album gives. I recommand it👍

I love the 90s Cuban and this album from start to finish has a very unique vibe to it. Within this genre I have noticed a lot of great songs has a somewhat tragic vibes to them but this album, or rather the group has a more uplifting, dancy vibes to it, somewhat reminds of the italian jazz genre. Its such a joy to listen to and I loved it. 5/5

its so good and captivatinggg

I remember when this was the cool, new thing to know and like - as if everyone thought they were the only person to discover it, even though it was everywhere due to the documentary and being played and talked about all over the place. However, it is very good music and perfect for the start of summer. I'd give it 4.5 stars, but I'm going to bump it up for this rating scale, as it is timeless music performed very well. I can understand why it would not be everyone's thing, due to the genre - it's not something I will go back to a lot - but I still think it was a pretty monumental album.

GAS GAS GAS

I believe this was my first time listening to this and I quite enjoyed the whole thing. I don’t really understand the negative reviews. Most are criticizing the type of people who listened to this when it came out and I’m not sure that’s fair to the music itself, but I was only a toddler then so perhaps I just had to be there to get it. For me it was high energy and joyous and brightened my day. 5/5