The Buena Vista Social Club were an international phenomenon, and yet the full band released only two albums: the bestselling 1997 studio set and a recording of their one US show in 1998, released 10 years later. Now, as the two surviving Buena Vista stars Omara Portuondo and Eliades Ochoa prepare for their final UK tour, comes an album of “previously unreleased tracks”, and it includes two classics, both recorded during the original Havana sessions. It seems remarkable that Portuondo’s cool and charming version of Lágrimas Negras or Compay Segundo’s treatment of his own Macusa never appeared on the 1997 album. Other tracks are taken from BVSC solo projects, and include an impressive live piano solo from the remarkable Rubén González, rousing live songs from Ibrahim Ferrer, and guitar pieces from Ochoa, recorded late at night during sessions for Ferrer’s first solo album. A ragbag, maybe, but an exquisite ragbag.
