Opinion on Buena Vista social club CD?

Get 'Introducing... Ruben Gonzales'. Chops, taste, heart, and cojones. Beautiful piano playing.

If you like this music...others worth seking out are "Estrellas de Areito", which has some of the most famous Cuban musicians (including legendary violinist Jorrin) in an all-star band (Areito's answer to the Fania All Stars salsa band); for fans of Ruben Gonzalez, you should seek out the recordings of Bebo Valdez (e.g., "Bebo Rides Again") and his son Chucho Valdez (e.g., his "Inolvidable" CD with singer Omara Portuondo, who if I recall sings in one or more of the Buena Vista CD's). Chucho Valdez was of course the leader and pianist of the Cuban jazz group Irakekere, which at its heyday included Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. Irakere records are also worth seeking out, though some of their music is a bit "difficult". Another renowned Cuban pianist was Joseito (Cheito) Gonzalez, leader of Orquesta Rumba Habana. If you REALLY like this sort of music, I recommend the 4 CD box set from Tumi called The Legends of Cuban Music, in which Chucho, Joseito, and Omara all appear, and which has a great booklet explaining the different types of "classic" Cuban music.

I downloaded a copy from HDtracks and am disappointed in the sound quality. It seems rather flat and somewhat reminiscent of recordings made in the 1950s.

Everyone seems to like to rave about it and I just don’t get it. The music seems interesting but it would be more interesting If it sounded better.

sounds better on my Grado SR-80 phones but still not great.

Maybe it’s just another poorly mastered CD.

Magneplanar MG-IIIa speakers, Adcom GFP-555 preamp, Adcom GFA-535 amp, yamaha cd player, PS Audio D-Link III DAC.

timoteo666

I downloaded a copy from HDtracks and am disappointed in the sound quality. It seems rather flat ... Maybe it’s just another poorly mastered CD.

This is confusing. Are you referring to the download or to the CD?

@timoteo666:

It definitely does not have a typical studio recording sound. On my system it has a very live sound. I am streaming cd quality from a node 2i with an Emm Labs DAC. I can place all of the musicians and vocalists on the stage (left right and front back). I haven’t heard the HD Tracks version. Don’t know if there is a difference. There is also a good bit of room sound and natural reverb in the recording. So for me it is not as forward as a typical studio recording but it has a very appealing sound to me. My guess from the sound is that it was recorded live with everyone in the same room rather than isolated. But it could be some other thing or the way my system presents it. The music is incredible either way!!