About

The first U.S. vinyl reissue of the debut LP from Buena Vista Social Club, and with lacquers cut by original engineer Bernie Grundman, this is the Essentials Record of the Month for August 2020.

-

‘Buena Vista Social Club’ is both the name given to this extraordinary group of musicians and the album, recorded in just six days in 1996 in Havana’s 1950s vintage EGREM studios. It was clear from the atmosphere of the recording sessions that something very special was taking place. However, no one could have predicted that Buena Vista Social Club would become a worldwide phenomenon – awarded a Grammy in 1997 and selling millions of copies around the world. The acclaim of the original album has elevated the artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Omara Portuondo) to superstar status, inspired an award-winning film by Wim Wenders, and has contributed to popularizing Cuba’s rich musical heritage. Produced by Ry Cooder for World Circuit, the timeless quality of the music and the sheer verve of the veteran performers have ensured that this will go down as one of the landmark recordings of the 20th century.  – Vinyl Me Please