Buena Vista Social Club
In 1996, American guitarist Ry Cooder brought together a group of forgotten Cuban music legends at the Egrem Studios in Havana — musicians who had been stars in the 1940s and 50s and had fallen into obscurity after the revolution. The result was the album “Buena Vista Social Club" — a recording that took the world by storm.
Ibrahim Ferrer (singer, then 71, working as a shoeshiner), Compay Segundo (guitarist, 89, already retired), Rubén González (pianist, 77, no longer had a piano) and Omara Portuondo (singer, then 66, the only one still living) — they all became world stars overnight. Wim Wenders' documentary (1999) made them even more famous.
The album sold over 8 million copies and sparked worldwide enthusiasm for Cuban music. It brought the Son back into consciousness and made Cuba a dream destination for music lovers.
The Egrem Studios (Calle San Miguel, Centro Habana) can be visited — occasionally, concerts are held here. The Buena Vista Social Club as a club no longer exists (the building was demolished), but the name lives on as a concept and brand.
