“Chan Chan” by The Buena Vista Social Club

The Buena Vista Social Club was a club in Havana that held dances and concerts, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s. In the 1990s, nearly 50 years after the club was closed, it inspired a recording made by American guitarist Ry Cooder with traditional Cuban musicians.

This recording virtually brought back to “life” about a dozen of musicians, many of who had been regular performers at the actual Buena Vista Club in the1940s. Although the album contained some original material, most the music originated from popular songs of the Buena Vista era and re-introduced the World to an Afro-Cuban musical genre known as Son, and often referred to as “the bedrock of Cuban music”.

“Chan Chan” is the introductory track on the Buena Vista Social Club album and was composed by legendary Cuban guitarist Compay Segundo. The opening chords of the song make it perhaps the most recognized Cuban song in the World.

In addition to becoming a critically-acclaimed album, this project is a truly incredible story. Most of the musicians on the album had been living in virtual obscurity for past 50 years (since the 1940s when the Buena Vista Club was closed) until Ry Cooder got them back on their instruments when most of them were already in their 70s and even 80s. With the album’s overwhelming success, awards, fame, recording contracts and World tours ensued for everyone.

I guess dreams do come true after all… even if some of them make you wait a while….

Viva Cuba!

Title: Chan Chan
Artist: Buena Vista Social club and Ry Cooder
Album: Buena Vista Social club, 1997
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