Cuban music will take the stage at The Town Hall on October 10, when the Buena Vista Orchestra performs in Manhattan as part of its tour of the United States. The group arrives with a repertoire that connects the great classics of Cuba with the sounds that continue to renew its musical tradition.
The concert will also be an opportunity to hear part of Ayer, Hoy, Mañana, the orchestra’s new studio album, which covers more than a century of Cuban music and pays tribute to the artists who helped shape it.
The album recognizes the legacy of figures such as Miguel Matamoros, Arsenio Rodríguez, María Teresa Vera, Dámaso Pérez Prado, Chano Pozo, Benny Moré, Compay Segundo, Bebo Valdés, Mario Bauzá and Celia Cruz. It also looks towards more recent generations with references to Juan Formell, Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera and Arturo Sandoval.
Recorded between Philadelphia and Miami, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow combines traditional rhythms with contemporary production. Among its special moments, “Chan Chan” stands out, performed with the participation of the legendary Omara Portuondo, in a meeting between different generations of Cuban artists.
The orchestra also revisits “Candela”, another of the classics included in the project, with new arrangements that preserve its essence and, at the same time, bring these songs closer to current audiences.
Rather than looking back, Buena Vista Orchestra uses the new album to show how a musical tradition can continue to change. Its members have shared the stage or worked with names such as Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Willie Colón and Cachao López.
Now, that tour comes live to New York.
Buena Vista Orchestra
Saturday October 10
8 p.m.
The Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St., Manhattan
An opportunity to listen to the sounds that made history in Cuba and discover how they continue to sound today.
