Today marks the release of the two-CD set Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall, capturing the unforgettable concert event from the legendary Cuban musicians at the esteemed venue a decade ago. To celebrate the release, Ry Cooder stops by WNYC's Soundcheck this afternoon. The Sunday Times (UK) says there's "a poignant air to this recording" of "what was clearly a night of overwhelming emotion ... [T]his was one of those once-in-a-lifetime evenings when the collective spirit of old Havana carried all before it." Nonesuch offers those in the New York City area a rare opportunity to catch the 1999 Wim Wenders documentary about the group, projected onto the big screen at Lincoln Center.
Today marks the release of the two-CD set Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall, only the second recording from the famed group of Cuban musicians, capturing the unforgettable concert event performed at the esteemed New York City venue a decade ago. To celebrate the release, Ry Cooder, the album's producer, will be stopping by the WNYC studios today at 2 PM ET for Soundcheck to talk with host John Schaefer about the new record. Tune in online at wnyc.org.
And readers in the New York City area have a rare opportunity to catch the 1999 Wim Wenders documentary about the group, projected onto the big screen. Nonesuch is screening the film tonight at the Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center. For more information, visit nonesuch.com/bvsc. To request a seat, e-mail bvsc@nonesuch.com. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Chicago fans can also catch a screening tonight at the Gene Siskel Film Center at 164 North State Street, as the Chicago Sun-Times relates in an interview with Ry. For a performance preview, watch the group's Carnegie Hall performance of the song "Candela" at nonesuch.com/media.
The Sunday Times (UK) reviewer Clive Davis says there's "a poignant air to this recording." He continues:
If you’ve seen the Wim Wenders documentary, you’ll be keen to hear more of what was clearly a night of overwhelming emotion. [Ibrahim] Ferrer comes close to stealing the show on the impassioned "Dos Gardenias," and [Rubén] González’s rhapsodic piano solos are never less than captivating, but this was one of those once-in-a-lifetime evenings when the collective spirit of old Havana carried all before it.
Read the review at entertainment.timesonline.co.uk.
---
Billboard/MSNBC call it a "bravura concert double CD" featuring "the incredible voice of Ibrahim Ferrer, the fluent guitar of Compay Segundo and the gorgeous piano of Rubén González," and exclaims: "The recording is immaculate, the performance breathtaking." Read more at msnbc.msn.com.
---
Contact Music's Tareck Ghoneim feels the album should follow in its predecessor's path and "will have exactly the same impact as first listening to these guys because it is such fantastic music." Ghoneim thanks Cooder for bringing the music to light and enthuses: "You can't ignore the wonderful craftsmanship of this collective performing latin music with style, grace, passion and amazing skill. Hearing it live captures all the atmosphere of the performance and indeed this kind of music needs to heard and played live." Read more at contactmusic.com.
---
Ry Cooder recently spoke with the The Globe and Mail's J. D. Considine about his efforts, with engineer Martin Pradler, to bring the live recording up to the high quality essential for this release. Ry reflects on the unique event it captures:
"It's interesting to look back 10 years later. The time interval didn't diminish it, it enhanced it. This was better than I recalled, and particularly in the case of Rubén González. His piano playing was particularly strong right then ... You hear him here, being so free with all these things, especially the danzon piece [Almendra], how he just sort of tears through it. It's amazing."
Finally, Ry poignantly notes, "This is the last chance to hear this. It won't happen again."
To read the full article, visit theglobeandmail.com.
- Log in to post comments
