See them while you can! (Buena Vista Social Club)

Member Name: moongod

Product:	Buena Vista Social Club
Date:	25/05/01 (304 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unique, Beautiful music, A real 'event'

Disadvantages: How much longer will they be around for??

You can read one of the other reviews about the album. What I have to rave about is their live performance.

Buena Vista Social Club are named after a club in Havana that was demolished decades ago. In true spirit, this is music from a bygone era and should be heard whilst it's still around.

I was fortunate enough to catch them in the US. What a sense of an event. A collection of 70 - 90something year olds showing the young ones how it's done.

Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrera stole the show easily, Ruben with his happy-go-lucky manner and clear adoration for the piano which he almost plays WITH, Ibrahim with his velvety smooth voice which fills the auditorium with it's rich notes. The place brims with so much energy, you swear the walls are swelling from the melody-drenched music. More old style lounge than salsa, Omara Portuondo occasionally makes an entrance to thunderous applause to get things going again.

Omara ("and her Cuban band"!) also tours separately and is definitely worth seeing (whether with Ruben & Ibrahim and the others or separately). She is a real diva, and you forget that she's in her 70s as she whips the audience into a dancing and cheering frenzy. And that's all without being able to speak a word of English.

Best of all, between the boys, Omara and all that support them, it is clear that they are all having the time of their lives bringing their music to us!

Summary: