Buena Vista Social Club
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.49 You Save: $9.49 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.42 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Buena Vista Social Club
Free Music Review: Perfect honeymoon music
Hit: 5 Stars
When my wife and I got married two years ago, I brought about a dozen CDs with me to Fiji so we'd have plenty to listen to while we were there. However, Buena Vista Social Club (a wedding present) ended up being the only CD we played. Unlike almost any other music I have heard, this music captures the heart and communicates a fun, warm, loving mood. The guitar and vocal combos are at once old fashioned and daring and tropical. When you hear the singing you'll never believe that some of the band members are well into their 70s and even 80s. On the remote and relaxed Fiji beaches, this was the only music that seemed to fit.Two years later, my wife and I still listen to it frequently -- especially when we are having a festive or romantic occassion. Many friends have now heard the CD and they also now love it...
This CD is a must-have -- a classic.
Free Music Review: Art, not salsa
Hit: 5 Stars
Disappointed that it's not salsa? That's like being disappointed that Mozart isn't disco. Don't you get enough salsa dance music from the myriad commercial performers being foisted by the record companies? No, this is art. Performed by artists. If you have no art in your soul, better stay with your commercial music.If you do like art, and if you're open to new experiences, this is a deeply moving and rare collection. This music was denied we Americanos Norte like forbidden fruit for so many years.
The only criticism I have is Ry Cooder. Why couldn't he be happy in his role as producer. Why did he have to play on the album? Most of the parts he plays sound completely out of place. What is a country-boy slide guitar doing in Cuban son music? Fortunately, the performances of the other musicians are so strong as to make this a minor fault.
Free Music Review: A Class Act Spins My Roots!
Hit: 5 Stars
Knowing I was born in Cuba, a friend told me about a great documentary she'd recently watched on Cuban music...then lent me her CD. I was reeling in nostalgia, remembering the music that, as a kid, would "set my body on fire" and make it dance. I was thrilled to hear songs of my roots, and felt my spirits soar with happiness and pride.I ordered the CD and several copies of the video from Amazon, sight unseen. If I thought the music on the CD moved me, I was totally unprepared for the video. The footage was amazing, very well done, and extremely tactful. I sent copies of the video tapes to family and friends - they were thrilled.
I would like to thank Ry Cooder for his dedication and determination to bring such happiness to the deserving musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club, and to bring all of us a piece of old Cuba.
Free Music Review: In my humble opinion
Hit: 5 Stars
For the record, Juan de Marcos Gonzalez and Nick Gold recorded the Afro-Cuban All-Stars debut album-"A Toda Cuba le Gusta"-prior to the recording sessions which later became "The Buena Vista Social Club". Both albums are amazing-excellent examples of REAL cuban music-not this timba trash that Los Van Van and Bamboleo are playing. Ry Cooder deserves a lot of credit for what he did on this album-production, post-production, playing-but not for "discovering" these musicians. That goes to Juan de Marcos, or as Ibrahim Ferrer called him, "El segundo descubridor de las Americas". And for those of you who are complaining about Ry's playing-get a life! Don't you know where cuban music comes from? Spain, the Middle East, and Africa-and Ry's playing only highlights some of these influences.Free Music Review: it's worth all the hype
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm a long time collector of Cuban music and this is a terrific introduction. Unlike many of the recordings I have from the 30's and 40's, this is a crystal clear recording with many Cuban classics like Dos gardinias and Cuarto de Tula that are very hard to find. Every once in a while, Ry Cooder's guitar gets annoying, but that's a small complaint on an album that is about as authentic as you can get. If you speak Spanish (or if you don't, read the excellent liner notes/translation), you'll appreciate the songs even more, but it's not necessary. Die hard fans of this style will want to seek out the best "son" disc out there: El son es el mas sublime -- it's not as well recorded since these are the originals, but it has many famous son and son montunos. I'm glad this music has such a wide appeal.