| Ry Cooder's name has helped bring attention to this session, but it's
the veteran Cuban son musicians who make this album really special. Reminiscent
of Ellington in its scope and sense of hushed romanticism, Buena Vista
Social Club is that rare meld of quietude and intensity; while the players
sound laid-back, they're putting forth very alive music, a reminder that
aging doesn't mean taking to bed. Barbarito Torres's laoud solo on "El
Cuarto de Tula" is both more blinding and more tasteful than any guitar
showcase on any recent rock album; a quote from "Stormy Weather" and some
very distinct parallels to Hawaiian styles remind us of why it's called
"world music." |
