Buena Vista Social Club

Buena Vista Social Club is an ensemble of Cuban musicians established in 1996 to revive the music of pre-revolutionary Cuba. The project was organized by World Circuit executive Nick Gold, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder and directed by Juan de Marcos González. They named the group after the homonymous members’ club in the Buenavista quarter of Havana, a popular music venue in the 1940s. To showcase the popular styles of the time, such as son, bolero and danzón, they recruited a dozen veteran musicians, many of whom had been retired for many years.

Musicians:
Luis Barzaga
Joachim Cooder
Ry Cooder
Julio Alberto Fernández
Ibrahim Ferrer
Carlos González
Juan de Marcos González
Rubén González
Salvador Repilado Labrada
Manuel ‘Puntillita’ Licea
Orlando ‘Cachaito’ López
Benito Suárez Magana
Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal
Eliades Ochoa
Omara Portuondo
Julienne Oviedo Sánchez
Compay Segundo
Barbarito Torres
Alberto ‘Virgilio’ Valdés
Lázaro Villa