Buena Vista Social Club

Really nice especially candela

musique cubaine

I had a good time listening to this and I will never listened to again, it's lovely and Jazzy and very world but it's just not anything I really choose to listen too

Very summery sounding

Liked it. Jazzy, sunny, excellent musicians. But I can't help to think that are a lot more Cuban artists that can do the same (if not better). I don't know.... 3/5, but will definitely listen to it again

Buena Vista Social club is certainly an interesting album. Some of the songs here, especially the earlier ones, sounded like songs that you would hear in a children's animated movie (particularly, some by Disney and Pixar). This is another album where i don't really feel that one song really stands out as being the best or worst one but it is an album that i think comes together pretty well. The songs were all a bit samey but they fit together well. I mainly think that an album like this could probably count as an elevator album (return of that term) due to it just being background music but i still think that it is pretty good background music. Best Song: Chan Chan Worst Song: Candela

Excellent album!

Yeah so I already had every single one of these saved. We had to watch a documentary about this group in high school spanish and I’ve LOVED this album since then.

Tough genre to crack into, but totally understand why this influential.

Good listening instrumentals. Never heard of this group but music is decent and somewhat unique

Vive Cuba

Good tunes, not all that catchy though

Did not use a private session for this one. I used to listen to the album a fair bit, fun to listen to in the summer when hanging out outside and chilling. This album holds up, but certainly better on a warm weekend afternoon outside then first cup of coffee in the morning.

Although the album was in Spanish and I only understood some of it, I enjoyed it a lot. It was different than what I normally listen to and I’m glad I gave it a try.

Didn’t understand many words but the vibes are impeccable. Title track is super chill

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

Good Latin rhythms, really nice vocals, some piano jazz which is a downer for me.

Decent

Cuban delights

Nice background music

Thoroughly enjoyed this pumping throughout the house all morning, and YouTube Music kept playing bolero music and I kept listening. Great stuff, very easy to listen to, nothing majorly exciting but enjoyable nonetheless.

Very authentic feeling album. I don’t know if it actually is, I’ve never been to Cuba. But I feel like I’ve been there.

I love the horns and intricate guitar sounds. Melodic and complex but relaxing, good work music

More than happy to listen to that again

Good music. Groovy Latin swing. Reading the Spotify write up about the album I learned it was very influential to today's Latin music. No Buena Vista... No Bad Bunny? 2.5 outta 5

It's good. Definitely a vibe. It also does not have a generic found to it, but it also didn't have any songs that really jumped out at me. Very enjoyable though.

soothing harmonies, complex arrangements. lovely.

Very interesting melodies and great vocals

Music for the soul

Cuban super group tradional bolero Chan chan Pueblo neuvo

nice

Fantastic music, I enjoyed listening to this.

I'll give a 3. It's pretty nice to listen to on a hot day

Just as It was when I first heard it.

me encanta mucho 💫

As my first exposure to Cuban music in my teens, this record blew me away. It’s still incredible. Instantly transported to a club in a Havana, with a cigar and some whiskey, lounging, hat over eyes, without a care in the world.

One of the most overrated albums of all time.

I didn’t really listen to it all that much… I mean I did but it was alright, it was good, not bad—it just wasn’t for me

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!

Buncha squares lol

Great album. I had already listened to this when it was sent to me. Great cooking music!

2 out of 5 I was transported to Miami. My wife came down the stairs dancing. That was well worth it! Great Cuban music to set the tone.

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

Great musicianship. It starts off well, but kind of fades halfway through.

Classic vintage-style Cuban / Latin American music - a good one!

Pueblo Nuevo // Amor De Loca Juventud // 2.5/5

10/10 Dos Gardenias has always been a fave of mine. What a treat to listen to this album. Lol I listen to it a lot already, but it’s still the vibe.

Beautiful album.

This is the two hundred first album I’m rating. I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I heard Soukora by Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder. Adding to my Playlist - Chan Chan, De Camino a la Vereda, El Cuarto de Tula, Pueblo Nuevo, Dos Gardenias, ¿Y Tú qué Has Hecho?, Veinte años, El Carreterro, Candela, Amor de Loca Juventud, Orgullecida, Murmullo, Buena Vista Social Club, and La Bayamesa. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 14/14 songs. Generally I don’t like Spanish music but this is amazing.

Pros: the instrumental music is really great. Cons: I wish I could understand the lyrics

Fun

All of a sudden I'm in the mood for Mexican food! And a Mexican restaurant about the only place I really care to listen to this kind of music.

An easy 5 as my good friend has said. There is something beckoning in the rhythms, to live better with soul

It was fine, not my vibe

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.

Pretty good stuff, I felt it got a bit too samey in the first half in spite of some of the more fun tracks that came towards the latter end of the album. I can’t really speak to the lyricism or anything given the language barrier so definitely more of a vibes thing for me. Not bad just wish it was a little more varied throughout

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

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!

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 am not on holiday, nor am I having a meal out, so I did not enjoy this.

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.

La cabra

love this album

A fun and smooth way to start the day. Not really my thing but I quite enjoyed myself. Excellent musicianship

Nothing wrong with it. Just not my thing

Cigar Smoking Simulator

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

Soulful and joyous

Music that transports you to another place. 3.5/5

Chan Chan, now that’s a song

I loooove the vibe! Would totally listen again. I have been searching artists for this type of genre, but I still don't know what it's called. Chill latina in a resto type shit

Not for me

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

A fun album -- that said, I might be more impressed by its technicalities than musicalities

Overall: 6/10 Not something I think I'll listen to again, but I had a good time with it. There's a great amount of energy in these songs and you can tell the musicians had an amazing time making this. I think I might watch the documentary one day to find a better appreciation for this. Fav Song: De Camino a la Vereda

Soothing cuban jazz. Top track: Chan Chan

Sometimes, this thing I’m doing seems like a pain in the arse, but if I didn’t embark on this journey, I’d probably have never heard incredible albums like this one. It’s just so brilliant. Ry Cooder and others were going to Cuba to record 2 high-profile African musicians with Cuban musicians. The 2 Africans couldn’t get into the country, Cooder & others decided to record an album of Cuban music, which is a mix of African & Spanish music. The album is beautiful & will get you wiggling in your chair. Lots of flamenco-style guitars and syncopated beats. The songs are old standards of sones, guajiras & boleros, which means nothing to me. All I know is it’s incredible stuff. Highlights are Chan Chan, Veinte Anos, Candela and Orgullecida, which sounds like it could have been a Bob Wills country song from the 1930s. I think everyone should check this out, if for nothing else than to broaden their mind.

Vibe

Idk what these lads are saying, but I liked listening to it

Beautiful

The music is beautiful and full of warmth, with clear guitar, rich percussion, and bongos that give it a steady rhythmic heartbeat. The brass sections stand out as gorgeous, and the whole album has a timeless quality that makes it feel older than it is. Even without a strong background in this style, it feels familiar while still being new to me. Over time, though, the songs started to blend together, making it better suited for a passive listen than something I’d sit with from start to finish. It’s easy, pleasant music that I enjoyed, even if it didn’t completely hold me all the way through.

Decent. Not my thing, but not bad

This was a lot of fun. I have no idea what they are saying. But it is a vibe.

It sounded good but not to my taste

Not bad

A classic from my childhood. I definitely remember this album and didn't realize it was so recent and so classic.

Buena Vista Social Club: Buena Vista Social Club: A good album, but nothing insane. Its kinda samey, and the songs aren't super my speed, though I liked all of them. Some nice piano work and percussion, but nothing groundbreaking really. 6.5/10

I enjoyed this album. Variety of instruments creating harmonic melodies. Piano was nice to hear and the faint singing in background across the album was a good style. Nothing was invasive as you listen or screaming ITS MY TURN HEAR ME NOW. as such it’s a strong one to put on as a background music. The only element is that it does sound like it could be the backing track of any none descript restaurant home or abroad. This probably results in 4million of the 4.3 million monthly listens for this band.. I listened as my only album on repeat for 2.5hours on a plane home and still felt like I could listen to it the next day. So that’s a success.

I’ll give it another chance in the future.

Amazing classic. Added to my list

words ending with "o" simulator

Fun, but unlikely to relisten much.

Not my cup, not in a good mood 3.4

This is #day365 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… o wow, today marks precisely a year since I started this project. Now, World is currently among my least favorite genres, and I'm not sure if seeing the artwork of this record pop up on the lists of those you kind of must hear before you die can change my perception of it. Some fun moments in here, like the piano on "Pueblo Nuevo," "Murmullo," or the title track, and the sax play in general. Otherwise, there's little chance I'm coming back to this record soon, if ever. Let it be a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day366.

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

I happened to listen to this for the first time a few weeks before it got recommended and despite two listens they both were done in breaks. Really wanted to like it more but only some stuck. Chan Chan and El Carretero the highlights.

This is nice, the rhythms are fun, it's all nice and soft. I expect if I was in Cuba and I saw a group playing this stuff it would be the absolute highlight of my trip... However sat in my living room in walthamstow it doesn't really hit the same spot. It's like watching the world music bit on Jools Holland on repeat.

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

Very cool vibe. Cannot help but want to shake

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.

Needs to be rated 10 stars

Haven’t heard it in maybe 18 years but it is still awesome! Good vibes only.

Groovy

Divertido

Smooth latin grooves for a sunny afternoon on the terrace. Love it.

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!

This has been a proper album I've always loved. Simples.

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

Is there an album whose sound matches the cover as well as this one? Many fond memories of avoiding studying during undergrad and listening to this album with the headphones in the library. Pueblo Nuevo is one of my all-time favorites, the way that thing builds like a sunrise to the trumpet at the end is pure magic. +2 for being in Spanish and not being able to understand the lyrics.

I mean, it's fun, but not really my cup of tequila. The pianist is quite good

C’est pas mauvais en soi, mais je me suis emmerdé !

Pretty enjoyable! I always dig hearing music from other countries.

I’m not well versed in Cuban music but this was an enjoyable listen. It seems to get repetitive as the album goes on but it’s a nice relaxing listen.

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

Pleasant listen, enjoyed Chan Chan

its perfect for what it is, to listen to while sitting in a club in Cuba having a wonderful conversation with someone you love and then fuck up the dance floor for a little bit. but it lacks some intrigue to be the main event. A wonderful chill listen but needs some more umph to capture my full attention.

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.

Good songs, but some of them are too long for my taste

HELL YEAH

didn’t understand the lyrics but understood the vibe the guitar is peak needs more of the trumpet 🗣️🗣️

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.

Wonderful album. The smooth sounds and lyrics.

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.

Groupe connu par le morceau 'Chan Chan' qui passait très souvent à la radio à l'époque. L'album est assez entrainant (+1), mais il est à mon gout un peu trop World et pas assez Jazz : trop de chant et pas assez de chorus. Peu probable que je l'écoute une seconde fois. =>2/5

First time listening to the whole album. Amazing.

💃🏻

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

I understand the significance, however the constant horns sounded like a panic attack. Not for me

good Latin music. not my thing

Didn't jump out at me as much as similar pieces of work have done.

Ultimate holiday tracks

Discazo de este tipo de música, lo escuchaba siempre de pibe con mi viejo, tiene un tinydesk piola

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

No está logrando que me interese escucharlo Creo que el de manu chao puso la vara alta en este estilo

jako čil, fora

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

The musicianship.. just astounding.

Bright, upbeat and full of energy. Transported me to another world. Sometimes a bit too jaunty/happy for my taste, so I'd need to be in the right mood to listen again.

Interesting pick.

Good music but not for me

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

I enjoyed this. My favourite jazz album on the list so far. Strong 3/5 (7/10)

Not 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.

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

Interesting. All in Spanish. Very different to normal music taste. Reminds me of tropico games

Not a lot of latin artists on this list so far so i was very surprised that i hadnt heard of the first one to come up so far. I get it now, and it makes sense why its here i was just like "huh... no ruben blades? No tito puente?" Lol i did enjoy it kinda except it felt looong. Its nice and relaxing but i do like merengue and salsa thats faster more. Not my thing but its vibey

enjoyable and a nice change of pace, def like 3.75

All inclusive holiday jazz vibes

Todo simplamente perfecto

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!

The vibes are unmatched

Super schön 😊

I don’t speak Spanish so maybe the lyrics are unbelievable but this was just pleasant background music for me.

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

Son cubano. Agradable escucha, amenizador para escuchar de fondo. Buena pinta el documental.

one of the best albums

It's nice but kinda boring and quite repetitive

Love

Overall, this is not a bad album. It is not what I would generally listen to, but it was enjoyable all the same. It was on the long side and would make good music for a day at the beach or a pool party.

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.

Couldn’t do it. Spanish

Very nice, almost required listening

Ok

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

Awesome album.

The first song was really good but I didn't enjoy the rest quite as much. I wanted to, but didn"t feel it unfirtunately..

Really enjoyed this one.

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

Amazing voice and an amazing album. This album makes you feel like the time has stopped and the only important thing is to enjoy this amazing moment and the outstanding voice of the singer 5/5

3/5.

One of my favorite albums of all time. It’s not just one of the best latin music albums of all time, it’s just one of the best period. Alway takes me back to when my dad originally bought the CD in 1997 and would play it constantly.

A classic.

Known

Fun and enjoyable Cubano music

9/10, loved this album for a long time

3/5 nice easy listening. Good for focus since it's in Spanish and I don't understand the lyrics.

It's fun

Loved it

Probably eye-opening in 1997. Really boring in 2025.

Dig this a lot!

Chill. Relaxing. One of my top 5 all time jazz favorites.

It started off very island/cruise feeling and ended moving to a traditional jazz feeling. It was almost like two different albums. Loved the part that was more jazz than island feel.

Another mystery appears before me. Materializing out of the ether as I wearily attempt to ignore my phone. No avail to be reached as I lunge at the device for the chemicals I can no longer reliably produce without this empty stimuli. Thankfully we’ve chosen this path instead of automated industries with equitable sharing of the resources reaped from this revolutionary technology. I’m much happier with my dollar not going far and AI music advancing faster than cures for disease. At least billionaires continue to produce more proverbial dust to smother the workforce in. Look on the bright side; at least I can temporarily dissociate to the sultry tones of today’s horrible album. Listened to on a platform that funds AI warfare technologies. If you’re not catatonic, join me for this trip south of the border. Which border? Great question. Chan Chan - WORLD music?? Everybody calm down. It’s a Simpsons quote. I suppose I do need to qualify statements like that in the post-satire hellscape we have mired ourselves in. This is actually not bad. A solid opener. De Camino a la Vereda - This is immensely repetitive and annoying. Perhaps apart from the bizarre stabs of uhh “horror movie piano” around the 3 minute mark. El Cuarto de Tula - This has to be in the Tropico soundtrack. Ah it’s Cuban. Maybe my rant at the start was more relevant than I thought. Well. More music here. This is not a genre I care about. The song is fine. Or at least it would be, if it was under 7 minutes and didn’t repeat the same refrain 374 times. Capable playing, boring ideas. Pueblo Novo - I know zero Spanish. Thanks a lot grade 10 Spanish class in western Canada. At least I’ve seen that one peanuts Christmas special “en Español.” Oh and I also know the South American countries like the back of my hand. Probably better, as I can’t for the life of me picture one feature of the back of my hands without immediate visual aid. This is almost decent jazz, but it is incredibly simple and ultimately kind of lacklustre. Dos Gardenias - What the hell do you need with 12 gardens??? Oh it’s two? Same bloody question. These guys are outta control. Is it a different thing? I could easily translate this, but as a North American , it’s my duty to pretend it’s akin to the Dead Sea scrolls. ¿Y Tú Qué Has Hecho? - We’ve reached the bad singing part of the album. You know what I’ve always admired about Spanish though? The upside down question mark. You know how to read that fucker right from the start. Lay it out clean. I like that. This song? Dumpster. The question syntax? Two thumbs up. Veinte Años - It autocorrected Veinte to “Cringe,” so not a good omen for the song, and a truce indictment of my vocabulary. This was nothing. El Carretero - ugghhhh I don’t care. Candela - This has to be the same song. I find not being able to understand the lyrics at all great detracts from my enjoyment. Amor de Loca Juventud - Juvie? Part of the Mexicools with Suoer Crazy and Psicosis? Probably the most blatant disregarding of talent and pigeonholing based on race in WWF/WWE history. Think of the territory that takes in. Anyway. I have to keep myself entertained somehow. This is endless. We are out of ideas. Orgulleceda - alright. The song did NOT change. Holy HELL 4 more songs??? Murmullo - Armadillo competitor. Perhaps more thoughtful. Someone saying armadillo whilst experiencing TIA symptoms. Throwing some stuff at the wall here to see what sticks. Let me know if there are some humdingers in here. Buena Vista Social Club - The rare triple crown title. Cannot compare quality wise to Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath off of Black Sabbath. Or even Deicide x3. But here we are. Revelling in irrelevant garbage to numb the pain of mediocre piano jazz set to a click track. La Bayamesa - Reading the story of this album makes me feel happy that they got to release this. Hey, you’ve got a bunch of local musicians who never really made a stamp worldwide and now you’ve got a hit that transcends cultures. That’s cool. I am not in the target demographic for this. I hate this sound, I hate not being able to understand the language, and I hate how bloody long this felt. Are all of these issues my problem? Yes, but I suppose that’s why they inform my opinion. I hated this. I wanted it to end after track two. Maybe partway through. These people are competent players and clearly passionate, but if I never hear a song in this genre again, I shall learn Spanish and go on a cultural pilgrimage to Havana, in thanks of my new gift. Adios, BVSC. 1 HIGHLIGHTS: You can really learn a lot about a flock by watching each second bleed away.

Zuhause, Heidenheim, Deutschland. Ohren am Bluten.

It's lovely, it's just not my thing. Doesn't move me.

Nice, can see why it was popular.

A whole hour I waited and my burrito never arrived!

I genuinely enjoyed listening to this album. I listened at work, but I feel like it'd be perfect for a walk or cooking.

Pure class, nothing else to say.

Još jedan gdje ne znam šta da mislim. Ispočetka mi je bilo onako zanimljivo i simpatično, poslije je smorilo i zbog dužine i zbog monotonije. Druga šansa: još uvijek mi je teško procijeniti ovaj album, ima svega od recimo Chan Chan koja mi je postala jedna od najljepših pjesama ikad do nekih koje su mi stvarno kao test strpljenja. Pa hajmo ih zasad ostaviti na trici, ali imam osjećaj da ću se ovome opet vraćati.

Fun sound. Though not something I’d put on outside of wanting to be in a Latin mood

Está en el top de mis álbumes favoritos

uno de los albumes de mi vida. no lo he escuchado por que ya lo conocia

Nice Latin sound. Wish I understood what they were singing.

Nice to listen to.

As inconsistent as I find this album to be, the moments that are super fun and groovy still manage to make it worth listening to overall.

Love this! I've heard a few songs from this, I had no idea there was a whole album

This was an absolute joy to listen to. I never thought I'd give a five star rating to a Japanese metal band, but there it is! 5

A weird album. Like you're sitting in a restaurant on holiday with a bit of Laurel and Hardy soundtrack thrown in. Give it a listen, you will know what I mean.

Oh man I don’t like this at all. It’s too traditional, I just can’t connect. I listened to Manu Chao yesterday who plays alternative Latin music and it was great. It had new wave, punk, rap influences which made that form of music more accessible.

Sounds similar to street band music you'd hear on any street corner in Mexico or Central America. The Afro-Cuban jazz produces some notable moments but nothing sublime imo. I'm more partial to swing jazz, bossa nova, etc. It may just be cultural, but I can't help but feeling a bit meh about this after first listen. May just need more time to sink in. I definitely preferred the latter half of this album, roughly -- everything from "Candela" onward.

Such a beautiful album. Relaunched several careers for these amazing Cuban musicians. Ry Cooder deserves a Nobel Prize. A must-have on any desert island. It’s a five.

I dont care much for Spanish music. Is fun though, I can imagine this playing on the beach. 2/5

This is pretty great. Not sure how I would have appreciated when I was younger, but, that's life.

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!

only problem with this album is that i was stuck in the office listening to it instead of on a beach

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

Not my vibe. It was pleasant enough and can respect the craftsmanship of it but didn’t grab me.

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

Terrific arrangements and musicianship. Would play this any time for anyone.

Good shit. So much rhythm and passion

Enjoyable! This make it into the pool day back ground music list!

Fun and unique….for a bit

It was an enjoyable album to listen to. The first half was real strong, but it did fade toward the end of it.

Beautiful, I'm back in Cafe O'Reilly every time I listen to it.

A fun foray into Cuban jazz. I played this at countless dinner parties back in the day. In fact, I got tired of it. Still, a great album from an era locked in time.

I love the vibe of this album. I just can't listen to the whole thing though while sitting in a windowless office, staring at a computer. Take me to Havana and then we'll try again.

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

ai como é bom latinidades. 3,5

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

I should check out more Cuban music

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.

Not really my type of music but definetly pleasant to listen to. Chan Chan is a really catchy. I love the general vibe of this album but its just not something i would returm to and its also bit bloated. 7/10 Favourite: Chan Chan Least Favourite: Pueblo Neuvo

definitely not my style of music

im sure this record isnt Encyclopedic in all the song forms it covers but the breadth still feels titanic, and the group of no less than 20 credited musicians just takes to all of them in full effortless flight. the songs are wonderful and have endured for a reason but the playing and the timbres are the most obvious thing that my brain kept looping back to. there is a variety of emotional vibes to the material itself but the performance of it is always imbued with so much Joy and Grace above all else...the love for every note played just oozes. one of these albums that has just grown in power even more after having finished it...feels unassumingly like a Journey to look back on

I mean, I couldn't understand it so tough to connect. It sounded fine, I liked the variations in song styles, singers and sounds etc, so could appreciate the music a bit, but reading about it sounds like it rides classic love tropes, humorous, sad, and funny.

I was not sure about this one, but I really liked it. Musically,they were amazing. They played their instruments perfectly. It was also a fun one to listen to.

09/06/2025 I couldn't really get behind this one.

One of my very favourites - soundtrack to every holiday

some amazing influential music here, i enjoyed it and can respect it as a cultural landmark

doesnt feel memorable, like it never gets out of its groove. once you listened to the first song you got the vibe of the whole album.

Beautiful. Doesn't get better. A favorite for life.

I liked it more than I thought I would. I saw the movie back when it came out and did not enjoy any part of it. So I was surprised when I found I didn’t hate this album. Not great but better than expected.

Great back ground music. Remember how huge this album was in the late 90s.

huge fan of Ry Cooder, and although I have heard of the Buena Vista Social Club, I've never listened to the album before. Wasn't disappointed

Have always loved this album, but haven't listened to it in a while. It's fun to listen to it with new ears. Propulsive and full of energy.

Not my yum, but not gonna knock anyone else’s. It’s good music, just not my jam.

See, this is exactly why I wanted to do this

Well I hope this doesn't mess up my Spotify playlists 😂 I didn't hate listening just that I didn't know the words

From the first seconds I knew it is really good album. Discoveries like this are still keeping me on the list after almost 600 albums drawn.

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

Vibes go hard though not personally my thing.

Great hotel lobby music 💃

Subba Album. La cucaracha.

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.

Sensational

Very good. Like, very very very very good.

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.

Heerlijk!

Easy 5

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

Was good but ended up being background music

A genre-defining album.

Not for me

good listen

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.

A pleasing piece of background music but probably not worthy of all the hype and adoration around it. I think I probably bought it at the time but like now, I can kind of appreciate it without being bowled over.

Relaxing and warm vibe to the album, nice to listen to but nothing special for me.

Fun but quite samey, enjoyed a couple of songs but didn’t end up finishing the entire album

Wow! What a bop! This all sounded so familiar but so tight and well constructed. I enjoyed every moment and a few songs went into my on repeat playlist.

This record is excellent, and so is the documentary about it, so I won't go into too much detail talking about it. Listen to this, watch that. Buena Vista Social Club is a collective of a score of musicians, most of them elderly Cubans who were in their prime during the 40s and 50s. The group gets its name from a long gone social club/night club in Havana from the old days, before most night clubs were shut down after Fidel Castro took power. These musicians sound vital despite their advanced age, and the music sizzles like a hot Havana afternoon. The clubs closed down long ago, but the music never went away. It all sounds very natural and free. The album cover shows Ibrahim Ferrer walking through the streets of Havana, and that's where he was recruited to join the group. He was on his daily constitutional, where he would shine shoes for extra cash. Within a span of 5 years, he's performing at Carnegie Hall, winning a Grammy, performing for Puff Daddy and Jennifer Lopez (he dedicates a song called "Mami Me Gusto" to her, the old smooth talker that he is), and he's recording a track for the first Gorillaz album. It blows my mind, that if some exec from a "World" music label didn't recruit Ry Cooder to come to Havana to record an album (not this album mind you) the world outside of Cuba would never have heard of this guy. Ibrahim Ferrer was very talented (he died in 2005), but it's not like he was the best singer in Cuba, he was just the dude around the way! What other musical gems are just hanging out in Cuba? Summer's just about here, so put this record in your ears, and take a stroll through the neighborhood and imagine Ibrahim is walking by tipping his hat.

First song is fire, sadly the album peaks there.

Not my thing

Didn’t stick with me. Needs some more listens

3,75

Not great but very listenable. Not worth a star in either direction