Buena Vista Orchestra

Born in Havana in the mid‑90s, Buena Vista Social Club brought together veterans of Cuba’s 40s and 50s dance bands under the guidance of Juan de Marcos González with Ry Cooder. The project put son cubano, bolero, guajira and danzón back at the center, with an acoustic approach built on voices, guitars, piano and traditional percussion. From those sessions emerged a repertoire carried by singular figures like Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo, each bringing songs and phrasing shaped in pre‑revolution clubs and orchestras.

On stage today, the ensemble extends that songbook with a tight, warm sound and arrangements that keep the pulse of Havana while leaving space for improvisation and call‑and‑response. Expect classic tunes and lesser‑known gems drawn from the original albums and from the artists’ own repertoires, played with the clarity and swing that made the project travel the world, from studios in Havana to concert halls documented by Wim Wenders’ film. In Québec, the music lands at Théâtre Capitole on September 24, 2026, for a set that connects eras without nostalgia, carried by a multigenerational band that keeps the groove, the melodies and the stories alive.