Me siento como una niña

"Ahora no soy tan niña, pero me siento como una niña."
["I'm not a little girl, but I feel like one."]

Last week, it was all about Celia Cruz. Today, we celebrate the 95th birthday (yesterday) of another beloved Cuban diva Omara Portuondo. The main difference? Señora Portuondo is (happily) still with us!

Although her career as one of Cuba's most popular singers stretches back to the very early 1950s, it's probably for her work with the fabled Buena Vista Social Club for which she is best known - although her solo album from back in 2000 is a cherished part of our extensive music library here at Dolores Delargo Towers.

Here are some examples of her sublime talent, four your delectation:

Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo - Quizas

Omara Portuondo - El Hombre Que Yo Amé [The Man I Love]

Omara Portuondo - La Sitiera

I could listen to her forever.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Omara Portuondo Peláez! (born 29th October 1930)

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STOP PRESS:

I just discovered that the great lady has a new album out, featuring duets and collaborations with artists such as Angélique Kidjo... I wonder if HMV will be stocking that one on its shelves? If so, I'm off to buy it!

El cariño que te tengo

Sad news last week of the death of another of the founding members of the legendary Cuban band Buena Vista Social Club, trumpeter Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal, gives me an opportunity to feature some of the fabulous music that emerged from their triumphal reunion in the '90s (as featured in the 1996 Wim Wenders film documentary), to which he contributed so much:

Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan

Buena Vista Social Club - Dos Gardenias

By sheer coincidence, happier news: it was also the 94th birthday of one of the last survivors of the band (and house favourite here at Dolores Delargo Towers), Señorita Omara Portuondo:

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club featuring Omara Portuondo & Eliades Ochoa - Candela

Perfect "Sunday Music"...

RIP, Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal (5th May 1933 – 28th October 2024)

Feliz cumpleaños, Omara Portuondo Peláez! (born 29th October 1930)

Oh, fire, fire, fire*

Another legendary Diva, much cherished here at Dolores Delargo Towers, celebrates her 90th birthday today!

The magnificent Omara Portuondo [for it is she] has seen it all in her long career - her life spans the history of Cuban music from the 1940s to the present.

Having had some success as an actress, in the 1950s she began singing as part of an all-female group Quarteto Las d’Aida and the all-female Orquesta Anacaona, for whom she performed for fifteen years before going solo. Famously, however, it took until 1997 before the world "discovered" her talents, as part of the famous Buena Vista Social Club.

We fell in love with her self-titled solo album twenty years ago, and we adore her still. She's just completed a final World Tour (at nearly 90!), however, and we never did get to see her on stage... Sob.

I have (of course) lauded the lady before [see here and, particularly, here], but we can never have too much of a good thing...

Omara Portuondo - Flor de Amor

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® featuring Omara Portuondo & Eliades Ochoa - Candela

Omara Portuondo - Sábanas Blancas

Omara Portuondo - La Sitiera

Feliz cumpleaños, Señorita Omara Portuondo Peláez! (born 29th October 1930)

[*"Fire, fire, fire" = "Candela, candela, candela" in Spanish]

Te quiero conmigo bailando muy suavecito

"Ahora no soy tan niña, pero me siento como una niña."
["I'm not a little girl, but I feel like one."]




With Celia Cruz and Rolando Laserie (Habana Hilton 1960)



At the age of 89 [her birthday is today!], Omara Portuondo is calling an "untimely" end to her career after a mere seven decades, with a final grand tour - El Último Beso ["The Final Kiss"]. We unfortunately missed her only UK appearance in July, to our chagrin.

Who is Señorita Portuondo, I hear you ask? Although her career as one of Cuba's most popular singers stretches back to the very early 1950s, it's probably for her work with the fabled Buena Vista Social Club for which she is best known.

Here are some examples of her sublime talent, four your delectation:

Ibrahim Ferrer & Omara Portuondo - Quizas

Omara Portuondo - El Hombre Que Yo Amé [The Man I Love]

Omara Portuondo - Suavecito

I could listen to her forever.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Omara Portuondo Peláez! (born 29th October 1930)

More Omara here

Together again. Maybe...

News of the long-awaited (planned) follow-up to Wim Wenders' wildly successful 1999 film documentary Buena Vista Social Club gives me a perfect excuse to play some music to ease the troubled mind as we head back to the office after a long weekend...

Here's Maria Bethânia with original Club member Omara Portuondo and Tal Vez*:

Omara Portuondo and Maria Bethânia - Tal Vez

Lovely. I feel better already.

["Tal Vez" = "Maybe" in Spanish]

Buena Vista no más

As news is announced today of the death of the Cuban guitarist Manuel Galban, most famous for his part in the music of the Buena Vista Social Club, what better tribute than to focus on the man and his lovely Latin music - perfect for a Sunday!

He began his career in the early 60s with "Cuba's answer to The Platters" Los Zafiros ("Sapphires"):

Los Zafiros

But international success had to wait until the 1990s, when Ry Cooder and film-maker Wim Wenders revealed the Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon to the world...

Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan

Buena Vista Social Club - Candela

RIP another purveyor of sumptuous music...

Article on the BBC