Buena Vista Social Club
Ry Cooder's name has helped bring attention to this session, but it's the veteran Cubansonmusicians who make this album really special. Reminiscent of Ellington in its scope and sense of hushed romanticism,Buena Vista Social Clubis 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'slaoudsolo 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."--Rickey Wright