Music and Vinyl: Introducing . . . Rubén González

This 1997 album from World Circuit records came at the end of their three weeks in Havana's Egrem studios. The idea had been to record Cuban musicians alongside some of the West African musicians they'd been working with in a series of descargas (Cuban jam sessions). With visa problems preventing the African musicians from joining the recordings, Ry Cooder and his son were invited, and of the resulting albums Buena Vista Social Club became a world wide success.

The pianist invited to join the sessions was 78 year old Rubén González, some 15 years after he'd retired from playing. Presented with a good piano, González couldn't stop playing after hours, With his friends around, the music would flow and World Circuit producer Nick Gold decided to invite González to record his own album, choosing his own repertoire. The recording, with almost no rehearsals was basically a live session and resulted in some of the most joyous and uplifting music possible.

Here is side B of the double vinyl set, with González' own Melodia del Rio, Mandinga (one of my favourite tracks - and not just of this album), and Ernesto Lecuona's Siboney - a more reflective ending to the side.