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Part of the Small World Music Festival, presented in association with the Royal Conservatory of Music

One of the most endearing success stories in recent memory, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club says “Adiós” to world stages with their 2015 farewell tour. When Ry Cooder recruited a group of aging, forgotten musicians for a 1997 recording session in Havana, what happened next was a welcome interruption in the politically-challenged relationship between Cuba and the United States. The resulting album won a Grammy Award, the group shot to international fame, and those senior citizens began their storied journey as ambassadors for the music of Cuba. Their live performances have been praised for “taking the atmosphere up to a breathless level” (The Independent) and leaving audiences “awestruck” (The Financial Times). At the forefront of the group are original band members who will be fondly recognized from the Buena Vista Social Club® film: band leader and trombonist Jesús “Aguaje” Ramos, trumpeter Guajiro Mirabal, laúd virtuoso Barbarito Torres, vocalist and guitarist Eliades Ochoa, and the incomparable vocalist Omara Portuondo. A younger generation of Cuban musicians is represented by such talents as vocalist Carlos Calunga and pianist Rolando Luna.

Each of these artists has their own take on the gamut of Cuban music, and they have put their individual stamp on son montunos, danzan, cha cha cha, boleros, and Cuban jazz. Having honed their skills over many years, their passion for the music has remained undimmed and this remarkable group of musical giants perform with an exuberance that is as vital as ever.