2 posts tagged “buena vista social club”
I know this may not be very appropriate thanksgiving holiday music.. but Ibrahim has been on my mind and player all week. And hey, he's such a classic. and the other day on npr as I was driving into work ... All Things Considered did a spot on the Buena Vista Social Club. And how most of the songs produced and sung by the members of Buena Vista are not actually owned by them. The real owner of the copyright to their songs remains a mystery to this day. Most Cuban singers in the late 30s and 40s were not aware and not properly informed of their legal rights as musicians.. and with the rise in power of Fidel Castro in the late 50s ... their importance in the world of music and art in their country was on its way to extinction....
However, in 1999 - Buena Vista came out with a documentary that pretty much propelled the 14-member ensemble into international stardom. Allowing youngsters like me - to discover their sound and fall in love with every song they've released...
I guess Ibrahim and the Buena Vista's success is a testament that good music can never be hidden from the world - somehow it will make its way into the ears of those that eat, breathe, sleep ... music. and in their case, great music.
