Pablo Cardenas Presents “A Night to Buena Vista Social Club”

Sat. February 18th 2023 8:30 - 12:00 doors at 7:00 (No Minors)
Sold Out -
What a great night of music ahead! World class Cuban pianist Pablo Cardenas assembles a band to bring you a tribute to the legendary Buena Vista Social Club. Even novices to the Cuban scene will be familiar with many of these timeless and evocative songs. This will be an amazing night to start the year, dedicated to the best traditional Cuban music.

“This will be one of those especial nights where Cuban and Latin dance will also be present. First, to encourage you to try some steps we will be inviting the amazing Cuban dancer and instructor Isabel Arias to host a Cuban rhythms dance class from 8pm before the band starts, and during break time the spectacular Japanese dancer Mayumi Volkers and her Latin Dance group will be performing two world class choreographies”

Buena Vista Social Club got established in 1996. The project was organized by World Circuit executive Nick Gold, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder and directed by Juan de Marcos González. They named the group after the homonymous members' club in the Buenavista quarter of Havana, a popular music venue in the 1940s. To showcase the popular styles of the time, such as son, bolero and danzón, they recruited a dozen veteran musicians, some of whom had been retired for many years.

The group's eponymous album was recorded in March 1996 and released in September 1997, quickly becoming an international success, which prompted the ensemble to perform with a full line-up in Amsterdam and New York in 1998. German director Wim Wenders captured the performance on film for a documentary—also called Buena Vista Social Club—that included interviews with the musicians conducted in Havana. Wenders' film was released in June 1999 to critical acclaim, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary feature and winning numerous accolades including Best Documentary at the European Film Awards. This was followed up by a second documentary Buena Vista Social Club: Adios in 2017. The success of both the album and film sparked a revival of interest in traditional Cuban music.