(World Circuit/MRA)

Havana good time in New York City

Just when you thought there wasn’t much more to be gotten out of the Buena Vista Social Club franchise, particularly after the deaths of key members Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo and Ruben Gonzales, along comes this release. In effect, though, it helps bring everything into focus and ties up some loose ends in the process. If you saw Wim Wender’s 1999 film of how this group of aged Cuban musicians were coaxed out of obscurity to achieve world-wide fame, the climax of the movie was their triumphant and highly acclaimed performance in the bastion of American culture, Carnegie Hall. A decade on and it’s finally on CD – and it still sounds remarkable. Produced by Ry Cooder (who sat in with the band on the night), it captures these amazingly resilient musicians in full flight, gracefully sashaying their way through the songs that breathed new life into Cuba’s rich musical heritage, Chan Chan, De Camina A La Vereda, Candelo and Silencio among them. And, as usual, the double disc comes with packaging that is lavish, with an extensive booklet of recollections from the people who made it all happen.

BILL HOLDSWORTH

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