Buena Vista Social Club

Cuban Ensemble Celebrating Traditional Son Music

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 involved a number of Cuban musicians, including veterans who had been active during the golden age of Cuban music in the 1940s and 1950s. The recording, made in Havana's EGREM studios, resulted in the highly successful self-titled album "Buena Vista Social Club," released in 1997. This album became a worldwide phenomenon, winning a Grammy Award and making stars of its ensemble members, such as Compay Segundo, Rubén González, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, and Eliades Ochoa.