It all started with the 1997 visit of great American guitarist and producer, Ry Cooder, to Havana, and his three-week session with British world music producer Nich Gold of Workd Circuit Records at the legendary Egrem Studios. The original plan called for the making of an album with two African High-life musicians from Mali who were to collaborate with Cuban musicians. The African musicians ended up not making the trip to Havana, but Cooder and Gold made a record anyway and out of that visit came the legendary Buena Vista Social Club album, a huge unexpected commercial hit whose sessions were captured and documented on film.

In this session we revisit a 1998 conversation with Ry Cooder about his experiences making the original Buena Vista album and how the rise of Castro stopped time in a way. Cooder talks about Cuban pianist Ruben Gonzalez and the Cuban recording industry. Then we will talk with younger Cuban musicians, virtuosos of another generation, Idania Valdés, who is one of the main voices of the Orchestra, and pianist Rolando Luna who are members of the new Buena Vista Social Club group. They give us more insight into the musician’s world in Cuba.

World Cafe Sense of Place is made possible by a grant from the Wyncote Foundation.

Set List: Buena Vista Social Club / Chan Chan / Buena Vista Social Club 4:16
Buena Vista Social Club / Pueblo Nuevo / Buena Vista Social Club 1:05