[Today: Ry Cooder finds the sound of Havana in the 40's and 50's...]
There are two eras in modern Cuba: before the revolution, and after the revolution. Havana in the mid-50′s was a glittering metropolis that featured plenty of casinos and nightlife. America was invested in the island at that time to the tune of $850 million, helping to build Havana into a thriving tourist destination. When Fidel Castro assumed control of Cuba on January 1st, 1959, the character of the island literally changed overnight.
Fidel famously claimed that “A revolution is not a bed of roses” and he moved quickly to remove every hint of capitalism from Cuba. Gone were the casinos, bars, and social clubs, and along with them, any trace of tourism or nightlife. The musicians who had played the cha chas and boleros and son music that kept so many late night crowds moving were left to find more useful lines of employment.
Swept aside in this tidal wave of history were musicians such as Ibrahim Ferrer, Ruben Gonzalez, Compay Segundo, and Omara Portuondo. When Ry Cooder traveled to Cuba in 1996 to record some of the players from the old Havana of the 40′s and 50′s, Ferrer was shining shoes for a living. Gonzalez hadn’t played piano regularly because his own had been eaten by termites. These musicians were far from household names in Cuba, and many of them had simply stopped playing for lack of work and interest.
That Buena Vista Social Club faithfully captures the sound of pre-revolution Havana makes it a noteworthy musical achievement. The fact that it became a word-of-mouth sensation that eventually sold 8 million copies is nothing short of miraculous. After being buried alive for more than 40 years, Segundo, Ferrer, Gonzalez, and their Social Club compadres made an album that sounded positively vital in an era of rap-metal, Green Day, and Oasis.
Listen: De Camino a la Verada
Tags: Buena Vista Social Club, Compay Segundo, Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, Ibrahim Ferrer, Ruben Gonzalez, Ry Cooder
9 July 2008 at 9:43 am |
Powerful stuff…
Awesome post, man.
9 July 2008 at 10:59 am |
This is a fantastic CD. The documentary on the making of is equally great.
9 July 2008 at 6:52 pm |
Word!
I was obsessed with this album after seeing the film in the theater..I also saw the subsequent ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ tour featuring Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Omara Portuondo, and Ry Cooder at the Paramount in Oakland and it was one of those purely musical experiences. Amazing. I later caught Eliades Ochoa at Slim’s in S.F. when he did his own tour as well. I’m thankful I saw all of them.
Buena Vista is one of those albums that I completely burned out on after listening to it so many times.. Thanks for reminding me about it.
10 July 2008 at 7:36 pm |
mmm pickles…
23 October 2008 at 8:47 am |
[...] July 1, 1998 the full lineup of Cuba’s Buena Vista Social Club played their only concert in the United States – at Carnegie Hall, no less. Shortly after this [...]