Buena Vista Social Club

Liked it alot. Definitely more my style.

I like the feeling. It was joyful and peppy. It was in Spanish but that was okay. The instruments were so good.

Latin class of working people... I don't know what to say, I just feel it

Fun! I don’t listen to music like this often but I definitely enjoy it. I have to add this album into my rotation.

119 Creo que la misma época en la que estuvimos obsesionados con Gotan Project, también lo estuvimos con Buena Vista Social Club. Me gusta, pero no lo encuentro excepcionalmente bueno. Es como buena música para comer con amigos. Le voy a poner un 4 porque ya veo que hay gente que no lo escuchó por ser música en español :D

Very happy music, sounds exactly like what I’d expect from a latin album

Great album, right away I remembered hearing the first song before and it really set the mood for the rest. The songs are great with excellent vocals and music. Sort of Cuban sounding beats. I'm not sure what they are saying due to my Spanish being remedial at best, but you don't need to know what they are saying to be able to enjoy the sounds. Like I said, it's great, I really enjoyed it and will be listening to it again.

Need to sit with it a bit more. But like that it is a different genre than the ones I've been getting.

The musicianship here is clearly high-quality: relaxed, economical, flowing. But the songs don't move me a lot. Maybe you have to be in a café in Cuba -- or have the memory of it -- to really appreciate this.

transportive and vibey

13/1089 хороший, ненапрягающий альбом, сразу ощущается лето при прослушивании, кинематографичность под конец, правда, становится немного скучно, но скорее это дело в жанре

Really great, mellow vibes. Loved the first song the most I think, but super strong album.

Listening to this and watching the documentary instead of doing my coursework This album is really great The documentary is cool

One of the greatest albums of this genre

Evergreen. Guter feel good Sound.

Irgendwie hat mich das komplett in seinen Bann gezogen. Fällt etwas lang aus, aber trotzdem wirklich stark

Det va gøy. Æ tror jo æ har hørt det her før sjøl om æ ikke har hørt på selve albumet med vilje, men det har liksom dukka opp og vært bakgrunnsmusikk og den slags, og det e lettlikt, så æ skjønne godt at det blei en suksess.

So chill - really like this.

This one has had several spins on my record player. Why not one more!? The album changes vibes halfway through. It's a nice Cuban sound throughout. I love it. 4

7/10

So fun

Ayayay

I don't understand Spanish, but I didn't need to in order to feel the spirit of the music. That's been my favorite thing about this project: listening to albums that are in languages other than mine but understanding completely via the universal language of music. 4 stars.

Not sure I can rate this a 4/5 simply because I unfortunately don't understand Spanish, or really have any frame of reference for it. I loved the melodies, especially the longer instrumental tracks. Some of those will definitely be on my study music lists.

Fascinerende origin story, en daarmee ook een fascinerend debuutalbum. Ik ken slechts enkele huis, tuin en keuken woorden in het Spaans, waardoor het algehele verhaal aan me voorbij gaat. Maar vakmanschap als dit spreekt tot de muzikale ziel, en je hebt geen Spaans woordenboek nodig om daarmee te levelen. Nogmaals, niet echt je typische storm Benjamin-muziek, maar toch verrassend genoeg wel een warm dekentje zo op herfstavond. 8,5/10 Highlights: Chan Chan (verveelt vreemd genoeg nooit helemaal) De Camino a la Vereda El Cuarto de Tula Candela Amor de Loca Juventud

Off the cuff remark: I haven't seen the film, know little of the story behind this and my Spanish is nothing like good enough to understand what they are singing about but there seems to be something universally warming and heartfelt about this. It is an album I have had for a long time and a film on the "must watch" list - for waaay too long - decades? Standout track: Chan Chan sets the mood and the flavour, El cuarto De Tula has all the right ingredients Revisit?: I do often revisit for something warm and uplifting, on a cold day it is warming on a warm day it is fitting.

It would've been a 5 if I had a canchanchara in my hand

I’m almost nostalgic for a life I never experienced

Je pensais ne pas connaître du tout cet album, mais je me suis rendue compte en l’écoutant que plusieurs chansons m’étaient familières!

I’ve always really loved this album

Never thought I would listen something like this until the end with smile on my face.

Very nice and mellow

A very interesting listen.

She stayed with me until she moved to Notting Hill She said it was the place she needs to be Where the cocaine is fair trade, and frequently displayed Is the Buena Vista Social Club CD (It's pretty good)

Only wish it wasn't 50 degrees outside while listening to this one, if it were humid and 90 degrees I have a feeling this would've been an easy 5. For an album full of versatility in its jazzy sound it really blends together. Now where's my CERVEZA CRISTAAAAL

Good songs and rythym

Not familiar with Cuban music. This is very cool. Good vibes.

Cafe music

What a lovely album.

Loved it. Started out a little slow but really got going.

The first half was better than the second. But this was great.

I like it

Lovely collection of Cuban music puts you in the heart of Havana. Some great rhythms, melodies and aged vocals with beautiful authentic production work by Ry Cooder to capture the live feel. An atmospheric and emotional album that's well worth a listen.

So fun to revisit this one

Actually great

Balanced instruments. Great vocals.

(79/100)

I really liked this. This is the best-selling "world music" album of all time. I recognized some of the songs but I think the most special and iconic one is the first one. Still enjoyed the ride though, all the way through.

a beautiful time. will revisit. will look for this on vinyl

Hell yeah.

First artist I had never heard of. The backstory is really interesting. The album itself I enjoyed but it wasn’t amazing but pretty good.

That was fun to listen to. I feel like it isn't a style of music I really know how to critique or truly appreciate but it felt as good an example of the genre as I could imagine

3.5

What a groovy opening song. The rest of them were also veryv nice. I listened to it as backfround. Nice.

The opening track alone might be worth four stars. A joyous listen and proof that one not speak the singers’ language to love their songs.

Nice

Highlight Song/s: Chan Chan, De Camino a la Verda, Orgullecida and Murmullo This album has an absolutely killer atmosphere, literally second-to-none. Just that killer. I think it's because of it being sombre in parts, a bit bittersweet-sounding and the passionate singing. Now, I'm not sure if that's something that's just specific to this album or if it's just the Latin sound or the specific sub-genre. But I dig it hard. My only gripe is that it goes on for just a bit TOO long, it would've been great if it was a 45m long album. Though I do get that album length is an artistic choice, I just can't help but feel that way.

8/10

Very summery sounding

Good tunes, not all that catchy though

A good album, I liked Chan Chan, Veinte Anos and El Carretero.

More than happy to listen to that again

Very interesting melodies and great vocals

Cuban super group tradional bolero Chan chan Pueblo neuvo

nice

Fantastic music, I enjoyed listening to this.

me encanta mucho 💫

Started off great. Felt like I was at an airy bar near a bench sipping mojitos and looking at the waves. Got my hips moving. Kind of trailed off at the end but solid 3.5 for me.

I have to admit, I haven't encountered much, if any of Cuban music, but I am glad that my first taste was with Buena Vista Social Club. I enjoyed listening to this album and to the band!

This album was a gateway for my discovery of Latin music when it first came out. Sounds just as good now.

Superb listen. I think I'd enjoy this a hell of a lot more if I was cooking a romantic dinner with my girlfriend while listening to this thing on my vinyl player. This thing is definitely backloaded as fuck, I found the first half to be a bit of a snore, a lot of songs meshing with one another to the point I started losing interest. Once Candela came on, my opinion changed. Candela fucking rocked. Anyways, not much to say about this - if you don't like latin music, you'll hate this. If you do, it's probably close to as good as it gets.

Protesting the Buena Vista Social Club’s tyrannical decision to revoke my membership for the INNOCENT and UNDERSTANDABLE act of getting blind drunk and pissing myself on the one good couch of the members lounge by deducting one star from this otherwise stellar album.

Hits different after a massive fuck up 9/10

A very enjoyable Cuban album that was a lot of fun.

My dad and my aunts listen to these guys classic Cuban music played at old Spanish parties

I had the great pleasure to meet Ry Cooder's son, Joachim, at a screening of Wim Wenders' documentary on this group, who at the age of 18 played drums and percussion with these incredible musicians. I'm not sure if it was as interesting to him as it was to me but I told him that Bob Dylan was recording Time Out of Mind in Miami at the same time not far away from their studio in Havana. (I was not much further off as a 6 year-old in Jupiter, Florida. Yes, I feel special having been within 200 miles of Dylan recording one of his greatest records!) We chatted about his many, often illegal, trips to Cuba to record with the group over the years. He was a really chill dude raising a nice family.

Such great musicianship. Language barrier doesn’t stop me from having a great time listening to this album.

Soulful and joyous

Chan Chan, now that’s a song

Sounds good to me

Have heard this before and I really enjoy, of course do not much about this type of music, but this seems like the real thing! 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes, 6/1001, 6/21 (28%) Will I get? Already have Recommend: Yes

Fun, but unlikely to relisten much.

Really liked this record. Loved the general sound that was achieved here. There's a nice mix of instrumental and vocal tracks. There is no doubt that any track on this record will get you grooving or dancing. Favourite Track(s): Amor De Loca Juventud, Murmullo Least Favourite Track(s): El Carretero

Great vibes. Both the singing and the instrumentals are top notch. Kinda makes me wish I learned Spanish. Maybe it's not too late.

Oddly my deepest memories of this album are associated with spring and summer time in southern Germany. Perhaps not so odd, as the documentary film was created by Wim Wenders. Boy was it ever a hit there, you couldn’t have a bbq or garden party without this on the boombox. Which fits, not all music is best suited for all spaces, and yet, I can never grok if this goes misunderstood (the lyrics, the musical references) or if the general understanding is that this is a kind of nostalgia for a specific, lost period of time in Cuban history, but that these (mostly) men got their day in the sun late in life and isn’t that great and also isn’t this so pleasing to listen to? The politics of this are maybe complicated: the era being celebrated is Batista and the imperial power of the USA, but the specific music BSC played was largely an afro-cuban concern and while part of the melange of Havana Nights in the 40s and 50s, was segregated. The communists didn’t outright condemn their clubs, but also did little to assist their continuance and with the arrival of newer music forms, the son music fell out of favour. That the film (at least) is all occurring through the lens of Ry Cooder and his creative partner Wenders has always sat a little awkwardly with me, particularly the addition of Cooder’s slide guitar and his son playing percussion (I guess well enough?), but hey, it worked to bring this collection to the world and that’s what we’re ultimately interested in here right? If the dynamics were changed it’d be like if some rich African fond of white American rock music discovered the GBV catalog or something “wow another hit eh?” Anyhow, I’ll always enjoy listening to this right up until I lose interest - the repetition inherent to a lot of Afro-Cuban music (or traditional Irish folk song) runs up against my western pop ears’ yearning for a change.

Groovy

Divertido

I have a soft spot in my heart for this album. I saw the trailer for the documentary (never saw it), but I went out and bought the album right away. The opening song is by far the best track, but it is all good - recorded and produced by great artist!

The quintessential cuban album

Incredible summer vibes from skilled Cuban legends. Where do we sign up for this Social Club?

I really love Buena Vista Social Club. Insanely skilled musicians, yet a lot of feelings in their performances. The mood of this album is unmatched. The best glimpse of cuban music one could get.

I'm gonna feel some positive bias because the sounds are mostly those I grew up with. That being said, the production on this is versatile, exploring the family of the Latin Caribbean genres while maintaining cohesion. There might be a song here or there that feels over produced or misplaced, but as a whole it's a gem. I'd recommend this album if you're exploring Latin music in general.

Oh I remember when this dropped. Big deal! It holds up as an easy way into appreciation of world music.

Such a huge album when it came out- everyone was playing it that summer. I grew to love it and still know it off by heart. Reminds me of a time in my life when I was voraciously devouring new music.

This one stayed on my radar but unlistened to for a lot longer than it should have. What good fun

delightful - got to it a day late but enjoyed it a lot.

Very cool - makes me wish I was in Cuba now, or anywhere in the Caribbean!

Отличный эсирадный и джазовый альбом из кубы!!! Слушается легко и с кайфом!

Absolutely delightful. I would use this to soundtrack my life if it didn’t feel slightly problematic. Or is it problematic *not* to have it soundtrack my life? Fuck…

The definition of music you want playing in your home as background to something else -- cooking, cleaning, working, having company over. As Latin cafe society music, it's beautiful. But compared to Gipsy Kings, say, this music does not enter the foreground. It's a playlist for your crib, not something you're going to put on as the main attraction.

Jazzy, soulful, a little sultry. A beautiful collection

holy PEAK. all 33 songs were beautiful but Veinte Años was my favorite. 🤤/5

Music is so cool guys. I love that I don't have to speak spanish to know what I'm getting with these songs. Each had its own vibe and took me on a fun little trip. Loved this and I hope to see more things that are similar.

HELL YEAH

consistent, tight harmonies. the guitar (american guy named ry) gives that sweet traditional cuban sound flawlessly. all the vocalists are pretty freaking awesome. trumpet is solid.

Classic album now. Couldn't believe at the time that this album was an attempt to save and archive a musical style which was dying out. Enjoyable jazz with latin flavours.

Upon getting this album and doing some research, two things immediately stuck out to me. Firstly, Wikipedia lists this album as belonging to seven genres, six of which I am unfamiliar with by name, so if I miss some of the cultural context here, forgive me. Second, that Buena Vista Social Club has 4.4 million listeners on my streaming service of choice, which makes me wonder what happened here. Frankly, English speaking music communities aren't exactly spending most of their time seeking out traditional Cuban music and 4.4 million is, without qualifier, a healthy following. With this in mind, I started listening and noticed a third thing: that this is really fucking good. This is just pleasant and joyful and nostalgic. This really effortlessly transports me to a time and place that I do not know, and never will, but the sounds and ideas here are so vivid and evocative that they bridge the gap. And while I can't take this apart into its individual components, I can listen to this and tell that it is really effortlessly weaving a tapestry with a bunch of disparate yet related sounds, like I believe those seven genres are doing some heavy lifting. I do agree with a sentiment that I've seen here that this album starts stronger than it ends, but I do think this remains somewhat strong throughout its runtime, and I'd believe that the perceived oscillation in quality can perhaps be chalked up to a matter of taste. I wish I had more to say about this, it is really exciting to listen through, I just don't have enough context to say everything I want to. But, like I said, I do think this is very good, and I could see it growing on me even more.

💃🏻

Nonstop bangers Fav song: Not sure, gonna go with De Camino a la Vereda for now

Ultimate holiday tracks

Me gustó, no es algo que definitivamente hubiese elegido para escuchar pero me gusta mucho la acústica que maneja, es todo bastante armonioso, algún tema lo escuché en ByN

I really liked this one, the title track was probably my fav

Very cool - makes me wish I was in Cuba now, or anywhere in the Caribbean!

Been a while since I listened to this, just as enjoyable as it always has been.

Lovely to listen to

As far as my knowledge of Cuban music goes, this was an incredible listen. One hour of pure sunny, sweaty music that I definitely need to give another listen to for a deeper understanding. What an awsome album cover!

What a pleasurable listen.

This is active listening music. You can have it on in the background, but not really for a calm read or chat. It's too catchy and groovy. It sounds fun and sweaty.

Surprised at how fun this was, great album

This is so good. In the last year I’ve really come around to Latin music. Makes me want to lay up on a patio with a cigar. Will definitely be revisiting.

Very nice, almost required listening

If you didn't have sex to this in the late 90s, what were you doing?

4.1 1x plus starred the Wim Wenders documentary. Helped bump up the rating but I will be listening again.

Known

Loved it

Dig this a lot!

Pure class, nothing else to say.

Very fun and a good break from what I have been hearing over the past couple of weeks

Till största del en kulturgärning. Att föra ut cubansk musik och dessa legender till hela världen. Oerhört väl framfört, men i grund och botten schlager. Vackert så.

Transports me to a warm, breezy evening in Cuba sipping a cocktail after a delicious meal. Slow pace of life. Brilliant!

OK, so, Ry Cooder. I've heard of him before. cause... the generator gave me Talking Timbuktu before. that album's pretty boring i suppose. why are you everywhere in the field of promoting world music? can i have some paul simon or david byrne please? but anyway this is pretty decent. 4/5

4/8

I want to be wherever these guys are right now.

One of the soundtracks of my youth. Not my favorite, but very pleasing and introduced me to a new genre.

another certified world banger

Good shit. So much rhythm and passion

Really easy to listen to and great sounds. I've listened to it a few times before and find it unique and enjoyable.

Pretty good 8/10

Chan chan may be one of the greatest songs of all time

Soothing rainy Saturday music. Definitely will revisit this!

A total joy to listen to

This was a surprise. I was digging most of these.

Unique sound I've returned to for easy listening

A very lovely album that I got lost in. The last few songs started to drag on a bit, would have been an easy 5 had they not 4 ⭐️

Kominn tími á hærri einkunn. Þessir herramenn fá hana fyrir þessa notalegu og tímalausu klassík.

Oh hey, I watched the documentary about this group awhile back, but never actually listened to the album so this is a bit of a treat! I knew what to expect going in and wasn't disappointed, it's just fun, upbeat music.

A good, enjoyable album. It reminded me of the week I spent in Havana and makes me want to go back

An absolute delight to see this one pop up on a Friday after a long week. So pleasant and infectious, a mood-changer for sure.

Blij. De eerste waar ik hyped over was om te gaan luisteren. Soms vind ik een album van een uur te lang, maar deze is gewoon precies goed.

I think this is the first time i've really listened to this sort of music and I did enjoy it quite a bit. Maybe it's just because i'm entering summer here and it fits the mood but I will likely give it another listen.

Not what i'd listen to on repeat, but i love the sound

Well this was entirely pleasant. Sometimes world music albums have this tendency to sound the same all the way through to me. That wasn't the case here. There was a lot of variety, and I really enjoyed it all.

4.3/solid piece of music that is very chill in the background.

4/5

This is some good stuff.

81% Best: De Camino a la Vereda; El Cuarto de Tula; Candela; Orgullecida Must-Hear? Sure

It’s was fun!

bende krasse knarren die aanstekelijke muziek maken...

It's good music, I love the guitar and the singing and the drums. Great Vibessssss

Love the Latin flair. Just a great vibe overall.

for a record fully in spanish, i had no trouble understanding the intended feeling behind each song. also a save!

Left it on in the background while working. Very enjoyable.

Spanish mi no hablo

I have the DVD documentary, and the album when launched. Vibes man

I kinda look forward to playing this in the background as I'm working on dinner in the evening of a long hot day. Very chill! El cuarto de Tula and Candela were particularly my vibe - I'll need to look up the translation of the lyrics sometime.

Fiyah!!

Pretty brilliant, not perfect.

Great Latin sound

This was an album I knew of but had never heard. This is the reason I like this project, it gives me a chance to enjoy some of these types of albums. This probably won’t ever be my favorite album, but I liked hearing something truly unique and different rather than another boring pop album from an artist who hadn’t been good in many years.

very nice. Made me want to drink a cold modelo in a hot room with a fan blowing on me. Pueblo Nuevo was my favorite.

Legendary cubanos, my second or third time running this album since I moved to a Buena Vista of sorts near Pat Even as an ignorant American, I find the rhythms and genre spanning songs here to be infinitely entertaining in the right contexts (mainly just chilling or something in the background). Favorites: Pueblo Nuevo Chan Chan El Cuarto de tula Orgullecida (sounded like an old country song - very twangy)

Chad and I first met living in the same building on Buena Vista Terrace - a Social Club of sorts during Covid, with 4 or 5 guys who would get together and play guitar on our patio overlooking the Bay. Pretty special times. This album was on in the background of our apartment - like when they say the name of the movie in the movie. Chan Chan is the song I knew the best, but on closer listen - I think Pueblo Nuevo and Orgullecida are my new favorites. It was on BVT that Chad was convinced by a grouchy neighbor to help him paint DIY demarcated parking spots on our street - earning him the role of our block's Sheriff. 3 stars overall, and an extra star out of respect for the badge.

Didn’t understand a word, didn’t matter. This thing grooves like a warm breeze through an open window. There’s a live energy here that’s infectious. A killer vibe for driving, cooking, or pretending you’re somewhere tropical and sexy. Pure charm. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Chan Chan - El Cuarto De Tula - Pueblo Nuevo - Dos Gardenias - Buena Vista Social Club

Mainiota taustamusisointia, muutamia kappaleita voisi kuunnella useamminkin. Ei valittamista noin periaatteessa.

Loved it. Probably would have been better sitting outside in the sun sipping an ice cold beer, than stuck behind a desk doing work bull shit, but what are you gonna do? 4.5 ⭐️

Really cool story and very good music if that's what you're in the mood for. I wish I understood the language of the lyrics, but to paraphrase Ry Cooder's reminiscence on making this album, music is a universal language. And the music here is beautiful. I hear a little of Jeff Beal's Monk theme at some points and a little of Randy Newman and Michael Giacchino's Pixar work in others. The vocals and their harmonies stand out throughout.

I listened to most of this album and very much enjoyed the vibes! I’d never heard of this album or artist before but I would listen to this album again and recommend it to others! It was a nice departure from what I normally listen to.

I’d heard this name before but honestly didn’t know what it was! A super pleasant listen and surprise!

Love the music & story of this band. Rlly need to see the Wim Wenders documentary !!

4/22/25. Was happy to come across this today! Great feel good music, could've kept listening for another hour. I need to check out more Cuban music.

Very Good

Dope

I first heard Chan Chan played by a cover band in a Paris cafe in 2016 and I have been listening regularly ever since. I have listened to this album before, but I am excited to listen again. Upbeat tunes, smooth melodies. Makes me want to sway my hips.

cool! not entirely my jam but enjoyed

Finally something not in English! The kind of music you'd hear at a restaurant and get too into.

A great Latin jazz album. Even though I don’t totally understand it, the vibe is amazing. Could listen to this on repeat all day. 4⭐️

7/10…latinjazz

Skippy

It’s a groove hard to do crossword puzzles by.

Fun little album to listen to

Eind jaren '90. Stampende beats, raggende gitaren, rauwe rap. Maar ook de jaren van de muziek die je te relaxt maakt om te poepen. Manu Chao en deze sociale club voorop. Wellicht misschien ook wel juist nodig als tegenhanger van het muzikale geweld. Het verbaast me wat dat ik nu nog prima kan hebben.

This type of music is tailored made to get a 3 from me. Not because I'm not into it or because it's just not great, but moreso it tends to be experience music (dancing, soundtracks, restaurant/bars music) and not listening music for me. Like 99% of the time I can't imagine myself listening to it in the car or something. And this album kinds still is that, but this is special. There's layers and little stuff in it that makes it stand above most other music of similar styles I've heard. Songs like Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula, Das Gadenias, and Buena Vista Social Club just have a vibe I love. Very dark speakeasy type music. Some of the more upbeat tracks I'm not so hot on, but they're still solid. If I had a real complaint, it'd mostly be that some of the songs (especially early on) tend to be repetitive and overly long, but there's enough riffing and soloing that it doesn't bother me a lot.

One of the best and most cherished

"Can I get a side of Queso?"

Always found this one to be a bit overrated but still full of some great tunes.

Great stuff. Owned this one since its release.

Impeccable vibes

This is a very good record. I remember watching the movie and being blown away by it. Very cool. I gifted my wife the record because she loved it even more than me. I don't listen to it (not my usual style) but when my wife listens to it, I enjoy it. Cool.

I loved the chilled mellow cuban vibes, and also singing along to lyrics you can’t pronounce and have no idea what you are saying… brilliant!

This was a cracking Sunday listen

I liked this a lot more when it first came out but it not feels pretty repetitive. Still, its very tight musically and easy to listen to.

A bit long, but nice to have in in the background. Light 4.

Very good Latin jazz. I thought the first half was stronger than the latter part. Still this is more background than active listening for me.

I think the first song is the best one on the album. That's always unfortunate, because the rest of the album didn't live up to it, but still a fun album.

Good soundtrack.

What a THING this album was, everywhere, for everyone! Still in my collection. Which is to say, also, that there are no surprises here. A bit worn out, even. It's still super nice, though.

It feels like the pulse of Cuba. This album was produced by Ry Cooder. I had one of his albums where he played with Ali Farka Toure and I loved it (Talking Timbuktu). Favorite songs: El Cuarto De Tula, De Camino a La Vereda, Candela, Amor De Loca Juventud, Chan Chan, El Carretero, Orgullecida Least favorite songs: Murmullo 4/5

Exzellente kubanische Klänge, eingefangen in einem Wim Wenders Film. Speziell aber gut.

Jazzy, slick, unique

I love this one. We listened to this on our friend Puerto Rico trip. It’s a comfort album.

Interesting listen. I’d never heard of this group, but somehow I’ve heard many songs from this record. I don’t know how to square this circle. I wonder if they play BVSC on Mexican radio stations. Regardless, I like it quite a bit. Danceable and creates perfect Cuban restaurant vibes. Excellent trumpet and percussion throughout. Standout track is: “El Cuarto de Tula”

This gets a 4 star just to piss off the non-English hating crowd! Nice Afro-Cuban music and who cares that I can’t understand the words - I also can’t understand the lyrics of most of the hip-hop, rap and metal music that is in English so who cares! Standout is “Buena Vista Social Club” that had a lot of Jazz influences.

This was such a incredible discovery. Even though it was recorded in 1997, the album takes you back to the golden age of 1940s and 1950s Havana, Cuba. It has a rich, warm, and nostalgic sound that’s really enjoyable. The music is melodic, elegant, and jazzy, with a touch of sophistication. It’s hard to imagine anyone not appreciating this, especially if you have a love for music in all its forms and styles.

Great band

Je

7.5/10 Favorite Tracks: El Cuarto de Tula, El Carretero Least Favorite Tracks: De Camino a la Vereda, Dos Gardenias, Y Tu Que Has Hecho, Viente Anos

I love it

Liked this way more than I thought I would.

Oh wow this album is wonderful. Even though I’ve never heard it before, it felt like I’ve been listening to this my whole life. It brought sunny Holiday vibes to a winter day in the Midwest.

No idea what the lyrics are, but the music itself is great.

This is a Cuban album that puts me straight into the world of Pablo. I feel like I should be lying in the sun while my husband smokes a cigar and then we dance the salsa. The guitar in the back is lovely and the vocals strong. This feels very ethnically true to Cuban culture and in their bio it said this was very culturally impactful, and even though I can’t understand all the Spanish it was nice to experience this music.

Cool sounds, nice change in place. Cafe music

Varied and beautiful.

It made me happy. It trailed off at the end but started really strong.

Beautiful and warm

Норм

Didn’t knock my socks off but it was good to listen to! Fun beats and you could really hear the instruments by themselves and in harmony. I liked Dos Gardenias.

Ugh! Talk about delightful! I enjoyed how smooth and fun this album was. Buena Vista Social Club was a longer album that didn't drag--a miracle, apparently. Every song was full and captivating, and kept me listening and wanting to hear more and more. Truly, this Latin and jazz combo is lights out.

I had never heard of Buena Vista Social Club before, but this is the type of Latin jazz music I live for. I've noticed a lot of Latin jazz albums on this project have been from the 70s or earlier; it was a nice surprise to see something more "recent" from 1997. They're not trying to reinvent any wheel here, though -- they're simply playing outstanding Latin jazz. This album feels like one of those "lightning doesn't strike twice" situations. This group -- formed from a bunch of random Cuban musicians -- came together, recorded this first studio album (with outstanding production and overall composition, I might add), and then never recorded a studio album again. It's such a brief footprint on music, and yet an impactful one; it's among some of the best Latin jazz I've ever heard. A pleasure to listen to, for sure!

You know when you’re on holiday, and it’s been a super hot day, and you’ve been out in the sun, and then you come back to where you’re staying and shower off all the sweat and the sun cream and change into something fresh for the evening, and then you go and sit on the balcony and it’s still hot but it’s pleasant and you have a drink before dinner because you’re on holiday? That’s what this album sounds like.

Fun album! Reminds me a little bit of the music I heard in Spain and Portugal- not just because it’s in Spanish, but because of the instruments and just how it sounds. Probably wouldn’t listen again but it made making dinner more fun.

Nice li'l album here! Good vibes, good tunes, tight.

listened to again one of my most favorite albums

écouté plein de fois

This album is what I wanted to be listening to while we're getting 3.5" of snow. It's a fun album that captures the vibes of being somewhere warmer and is able to transport the listener there.

Great album. The standard for Afro-Cuban jazz. Just some wonderful music. 4/5 Will listen again

Enjoyable. Well produced. Haven’t heard it in a long while. Enjoyed it even more nowadays

Full of incredible musicianship that’ll get you moving. A little long but overall very good.

Dang, I have too much of a history with this album to see it objectively, as I have been trying to do through these albums. Juan de Marcos González and Ry Cooder brought all of these brilliant Cuban artists out of the obscurity (and sometimes squalor) they'd been living in, despite their luminous pasts, and breathed new life into their careers with this album. Or, rather, allowed them to breathe new life into their OWN careers, because although they're older, the music is still incredible. Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Omara Portuondo and Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López, Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa, Barbarito Torres... some careers were revived, and we're lucky to have this hi fidelity album, as many (all?) of these guys passed away in the decade or so after its recording. Simpletons who just view this stuff as "pleasant" or "background music" are I suppose going to be in the majority, but it is not easy to make this music. not at all. The laoud solo by Barbarito Torres on "Cuarto de Tula"? Come on, people! The level of musicianship to hold this stuff together is incredible, and the passion with which it is performed is palpable. Might be background music to you, but it is LIFE to them. This record launched me on an exploration of Cuban music (and Puerto Rican, Haitian and more...) that I'm still on. Although there was a bit of a "white folks being charmed by latin music" craze in the aftermath of this record, at least it was nothing compared to the lunacy of the "cha cha" craze of the '50s and its related culturally-questionable shenanigans. Glad to listen to this record again on a day when things weren't going well.

The Cuban vibes are immaculate, you feel like a bad ass listening to this, could listen to this all afternoon: 8.4/10.

chill

Chan Chan

I remember seeing this at the Oscars when it came out and that was my intro to The Buena Vista Social Club, and I didn't actually watch the movie until I was older, but I remember thinking "wow these people really love music!" And I had always had a love for music and that was a really an interesting take on how something so small or not known could make you feel a certain way! While I couldn't understand the words I felt the love in the music and I really enjoyed this album, when I'm at work and I'm grooving to an album I'll know it's good if others see dancing and bopping around to it!

This albbbbuuummmmm is so grooooovvyyyyy woah. I love all the singing melodies, the FANTASTIC trumpets and those smooth as hell drums. Solid 8/10

Really neat album with amazing elements, well composed, well articulated and sounds like the wonderful essence of Cuba.

Would listen again

Really enjoyed this.

Que bueno!

Хорошая Латина музыка

кайф

Nice album.

First cuban album. Didn’t understand a word. Loved it.

Great vibe

Good vibes. Will probably listen again

Vibes.

Nostalgiczne, piękne. Aż chce się wyjść na ulicę i tańczyć. W końcu coś nieanglojęzycznego, przesiąkniętego inną kulturą. Nastrojowe, rytmiczne. Taka powinna być muzyka. Z instrumentami, z zabawą, z poczuciem wspólnoty. 8/10

I liked it, would listen again. The first track was great. Need to see that doc.

enjoyed immensely

I enjoyed that they included an album that wasn’t in english. Is it my favorite album? No. Did I really enjoy playing this in the background all weekend though? Yes.

Calm, warm. Reminds me of music I used to listen to when I was a kid and makes me think maybe I should get back to it. I’d say 4/5 due to a nice beat and a smooth voice.

Great. Marvelous. World.

89/100. An exceptional Latin jazz record. The production is so smooth it gives you a warm, relaxing feeling throughout.

Now I want to hang out at a bar in the tropics.

First part of the album is a masterpiece. Gets a bit worse on the second half but still a wonderful album. Chan Chan, El Camino a la vereda, El Cuarto de Tula, Dos Gardenias and El Carretero are my favourites. 4/5

Genuinely one of the best surprises this album generator has provided. Jazz music and world music are both genres I tend to struggle with (although I appreciate them on an academic level - acknowledging the effort and technique involved). But here? They marry each other beautifully.

LOVE! So fun. But... it could've used with a little editing. hah. Or maybe I listened to a DEEEluxe version by accident.

Vibes, vibes, vibes. Good vibes all around.

I borrowed this album from the public library on CD in the early 2000’s because I remembered that at the time it came out it was all the rage but I hadn’t listened to it. I got super into it back then for a couple of months but hadn’t listened to it more than a handful of times over the last couple of decades. But then my mother-in-law got it for me on vinyl recently (shout out T-Money) and while I was happy to have a physical copy of an album that I had fond memories of, I haven’t enjoyed it as much as I remembered doing 20 years or so ago. I still like it, but not as much as I remembered. I get being pissed off that it was NPR- listeners’ “world music” fad of the moment but that’s not these guys’ fault. The songs are pretty and fun to listen to. They also evoke a time and place that I can never visit but that seems super cool. This music is really good and worth listening to even if your hippie art teacher played this and danced around embarrassingly.

nyarat akarok emiatt!!!! nemhiszem h minden nap hallgatnam de jo volt!:)

Kedvenc/Favourite: Veinte Años Imádom a latin-amerikai zenét! A kubai zenével annyira nem voltam még ismerős, de tetszett, és nagyon jól keveredett vele a smooth jazz. Megsimogatta a lelkem ez az album. I love Latin American music! I wasn't so familiar with Cuban music, but I liked it, and the smooth jazz mixed with it really well. This album warmed my soul.

nice som fan

Buena Vista Social Club.

[7/10] Don’t mind me, I’m just listening to Buena Vista Social Club by Buena Vista Social Club off the album Buena Vista Social Club.

Bought this when it first came out. Going through a Ry phase. Still sounds great

All acoustic Afro-Cuban music. Very relaxed. Chan Chan (Dm, F, Gm, A7) Veinte Anos Amor de Loco juventud

Echt een banger

Reminiscent of gastronomic adventures in colourful taquerias in Southern California; relaxing, heady post-tequila feelings; sweet, enchanting smiles of pretty, olive-skinned Mexican women.

I have to admit, I listened to this album in the background while working (ojojoj), BUT what an album to listen to in the background while working! All the sudden the thesis wrote itself?? Got me going for a bathroom break like this 💃 Beautiful and relaxing, saved for when i’ll be cooking a romantic dinner just for myself 4 que bueno by que bueno

ai papi dios mio! da lauftmer verschwizt dstrasse entlang aber hett doch en full suit ah (wie mache die das) und ziet gedige ah sim 3te stumpe vom tag da chömed erinnerige ufe wenni das album lose - das hanimer scho als chline cucaracha scho ab und zue ih voller längi gönnt wellmer das diheim als eini vo dene heilige CD's gha hend, nebst emene krasse drum & bass album vo mim pappe sim alte mitbewohner isch das eis vo mine liebling gsi und hett drum en spezielle platz ih mim chline corazon han ezt aber au scho lang nüme mird lippe ledrig zoge ah dem album und es wird sehr warschindlich au nüm so oft vorcho ai caramber, trotzdem würdimer ah jedem tag 4 cuba libres hinderestelle für das album

I wasn’t sure what to expect. At first I was interested but not completely captivated but as the album went on, the songs were so cohesive and fit so perfectly within one another that it was a true joy to listen to.

Classic Cubano.

After doing this 1001 Albums Before You Die challenge for a bit, I’m regretting not sticking with my high school and college. But even fumbling through what words I could pick up, the music carried me through. Two things immediately jumped out at me: The name of the album is based on a real members-only social club located in Cuba and secondly, that Desi Arnez was associated with the group before making his way to America and marrying Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy fame. The musicians on the album spent multi-decades playing together, and it shows. Apparently American guitarist Ry Cooder was partly responsible to the groups international fame in the 90s by recording and producing this album after being exposed to the music and group during trips to Havana. I feel you Ry; I’d want to share this to the rest of the world if I personally discovered them too. It’s all about those rhythms! They move between traditional Cuban traditions, but also have flavors of Afro-Cuban rhythms and other styles such as Latin Jazz. Favorites from the album are “Pueblo Nuevo”, “Dos Gardenias”, “¿Y Tu Qué Has Hecho?”, “Veinte Años”, “El Carretero”, “Candela”, “Amor de Loca Jueventud”, “Murmullo” and “Buena Vista Social Club.” This album is a winner.

Very cool mellow music that transports you to a Cuban bar. Could tread into background music territory at times, but certainly sets a vibe and the skill of the players is evident. Curious to look up translations of the lyrics

When I discovered that this generator wasn't just for music in English, I was very happy. I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to listen to this album. It is a ton of fun, and I was able to talk about it with my dad. Fav song: De Camino a la Vereda

i have no idea what to make of this one bc i've listened to it in so many different contexts... it sounds exactly like its cover. a sunny, summery afternoon in the shade in the company of friends & refreshing drinks... reminds me of my 20s. bye

Really enjoyed this as a first album. Some standouts were chan chan, el cuatro de tula, pueblo nuevo, buena vista social club and la bayamesa. Loved the piano on songs like the title track and pueblo nuevo. Even though I don’t speak Spanish or listen to much Cuban music this album was very enjoyable to listen to. Not much to say other than that this album is quite good

3.5

what a vibe

Ry Cooder helps keep traditional Cuban music alive. I really need to see this documentary.

This was a jazzy fun time - felt like sipping a mojito in the Caribbean.

Cuban Jazz? Not sure how much it's jazz. Love the instrumentals, the ones with lyrics not as much. Instrumentals are more upbeat, lyric tunes are more ballady. I like Candela a lot though - tune with words

Despite the fact that this is basically a supergroup of musicians, there doesn’t seem to be a hint of ego. Just a pure love for tradition and country. Buena Vista Social Club is a love letter to Cuba, conjuring images of a simmering Havana at dusk, hot enough to make you sweat, but a hint of moonlight shadowing its way into a Cuban night. Despite that, I don’t think I would jam to this on my own unless really in the mood. 4/5

++: De camino a la vereda, El cuarto de Tula, Pueblo Nuevo, ¿Y tú qué has hecho?, Veinte años, El carretero, Amor de Loca Juventud, Orgullecida, La bayamesa +: Chan Chan, Dos gardenias, Candela, Murmullo, Buena Vista Social Club 8,5/10

It's a bit long, but a pleasant listen. I can definitely see listening to it again. I remember how ubiquitous it was when it came out.

Buenos bangers 4.3/5

This is cool. I'm not normally into jazz but I enjoyed this, some beautiful guitar playing, and loved some of the piano parts. I reckon these would be great fun in person. Interesting to read on the AllMusic review that the songs were all recorded live - I was thinking that the songs have quite an organic feel and wondered if it was production, but I guess it's because of how they were recorded. It's fun

Amazing album, every song at good and a lot of them are great. I'm not very familiar with this genre of music and given the whole project was lead by an american musician, I don't know how authentic it really is. Either way, I'm glad this was picked for the list and that we got a very well put-together album from a side of the music world not particularly focused on "albums". Key tracks: Chan Chan De Camino a la Vereda Amor de Loca Juventud Orgullecida

I'm torn, because this is really really good, but I feel like it's inconsistent? Like, when it's just really good son it is *really* good son (like, Chan Chan is just a transcendent track), but a lot of the time it gets a bit too 40s for me? Still, fantastic album, perfect background, and another good one to spend half the album going "Oh, that's where that's from."

I think I bought this when it first came out in 1997, but I haven’t listened to it for years. It’s bloody good, isn’t it.

Beautiful. Enjoyed every song