Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club Books Fall U.S. Tour

Unless you were at Amsterdam’s Royal Carré Theatre or New York City’s Carnegie Hall in 1998, you missed the original Buena Vista Social Club’s only two concert appearances ever. But, as the act’s website points out, the music lives on with the Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, which is coming to U.S. stages in September.

With all of the bandmates hailing from Cuba, the following musicians count themselves as original members of the Buena Vista Social Club: Latin Grammy award winners Omara Portuondo (lead vocals) and Eliades Ochoa (guitar and vocals), trumpeter Guajiro Mirabal, and laúd player Barbarito Torres.

The 15-member Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club roster also includes Jesus Aguaje Ramos on trombone and vocals, Papi Oviedo on tres, double bassist Pedro Pablo, pianist Rolando Luna, Idania Valdés on vocals and minor percussion, vocalist Carlos Calunga, Alberto La Noche on bongos, Filiberto Sanchez on timbales, Coayo on congas, and trumpeters Luis Alemany and Guajirito Mirabal.

Photo: Alejandro Perez
Barbarito Torres, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo, Guajiro Mirabel and Jesus Aguaje Ramos.  

The band’s world tour has been hailed by publications including The Independent as “taking the atmosphere up to a breathless level” while the Financial Times said audiences were “awestruck.”

U.S. fans can see for themselves when the tour begins in Arizona. Here’s the schedule:

Sept. 14 – Tucson, Ariz., Centennial Hall     
Sept. 15 – Mesa, Ariz., Mesa Arts Center     
Sept. 17 – Costa Mesa, Calif., Segerstrom Center For The Arts     
Sept. 18 – Northridge, Calif., Valley Performing Arts Center     
Sept. 20 – Monterey, Calif., Monterey Fairgrounds/Pattee Arena (Monterey Jazz Festival)
Sept. 21 – Davis, Calif., Vanderhoef Studio Theatre     
Sept. 22 – San Francisco, Calif., Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall     
Sept. 27 – Indianapolis, Ind., Clowes Memorial Hall     
Sept. 28 – Urbana, IL     Krannert Center     
Sept. 29 – Chicago, Ill., Symphony Center  
Oct. 2 – Fort Worth, Texas, Bass Performance Hall   
Oct. 3 – Austin, Texas, The Long Center For The Performing Arts     
Oct. 5 – Atlanta, Ga., Rialto Center For The Arts     
Oct. 11 – New York, N.Y., Rose Theater     
Oct. 12 – New York, N.Y., Rose Theater

Pianist Roberto Fonseca and his quintet will open for the U.S. excursion, touring in support of the release of his new album, Yo. The LP is due out in the States Aug. 27.

For more information visit BuenaVistaSocialClub.com and click here for Roberto Fonseca’s website.

 

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