And so, EnglishPatient - as a standalone entity - is no more. This account will self-destruct within...
And so, EnglishPatient - as a standalone entity - is no more. This account will self-destruct within approximately 24 hours. I can now be found under the name of DoubleTrouble - a collaboration with fellow Ciao user Broksababe. See you there!
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In 1996, American guitar legend Ry Cooder brought together an assembly of veteran singers and musicians from Cuba, and with them recorded "Buena Vista Social Club" - named after a former nightspot in Havana.
The album was an unexpected success, winning a Grammy Award and selling millions of copies. Many of the artists featured on the record had long been forgotten in their homeland, including vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer, guitarist Compay Segundo and pianist Ruben Gonzalez.
This film, shot in documentary style by Wim Wenders, came about through Cooder's return to Cuba two years after the original album. He was back to produce Ferrer's solo album with the other BVSC members on board once again. The project was followed by the only two concerts Buena Vista Social Club ever played - Amsterdam in April 1998, and an emotional trip to New York's Carnegie Hall three months later. Wenders captured it all, creating a movie that perfectly complements the Buena Vista Social Club record.
The official live performances are intercut with footage (both musical and interview) of each member of the BVSC, as well as journeys around the dilapidated beauty of Cuba itself. The juxtaposition of stunning, weathered architecture and the surorunding poverty - a troubled history appears to have left the country in a time-warp - is visually arresting. There's a sad beauty to much of it, and this poignancy is heightened by the gorgeous sounds of these (mostly) ageing virtuosos - either in tandem, or solo - as they play in front of the camera from a variety of locations.
It's this aspect of the film which best conveys the spirit of Buena Vista Social Club, and the effect is slowly captivating. Wenders affords each memorable character equal screen-time, giving the viewer a chance to familiarise themselves with everyone involved. Besides the wonderful talents on display - this is musicianship to inspire as much as admire - the personalities shine through.
90-year old Compay Segundo, forever puffing on a sizeable cigar, relays engaging tales of his life, and a mischievous streak when it comes to women...."I have five children...but I'm working on a sixth". The other main star of the piece is Ibrahim Ferrer, a soulful being with a humility and grace that would shame most Westerners. Even to the uninitiated, it's clear that he also possesses a remarkable voice.
However, no favouritism is displayed by Wenders, and the lingering impression is of a group of kindred spirits united by a common, lifelong, passion....all working together to create some of the most evocative music of the 20th Century. The studio scenes capture the magic and purity of their collaboration, as Cooder and his extended family of colleagues are filmed during the recording process.
Buena Vista Social Club - the film - is so much more than a concert video, and so much more than a documentary on the making of an album. This is a stirring, emotional and even educational experience. Exposure to just the music itself, meanwhile, will lead to almost certain addiction.
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In 1996, composer, producer, and guitar legend Ry Cooder entered Egrem Studios in Havana ... more
with the forgotten greats of Cuban music, many of them in their 60s and 70s, some of them long since retired. The resulting album,Buena Vista Social Club, became a...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
When the album Buena Vista Social Club was released it quickly became a world-wide ... more
phenomenon selling millions of copies internationally and winning a Grammy. When Ry Cooder traveled to Cuba again in early 1998 to record a solo album with Ibrahim Ferre...
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![Buena Vista Social Club [DVD] [1999] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/69888390.jpg "Buena Vista Social Club [DVD] [1999] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]")
![Buena Vista Social Club [1999] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/71694620.jpg "Buena Vista Social Club [1999] [DVD]")
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