Despite being a wildly successful (and amazing) album, 1997's Buena Vista Social Club was never supposed to happen, at least not how its creators originally intended. When producer Nick Gold first conceived of the project, he assembled a group of Mali's best musicians and planned to fly them to Cuba for a recording session. But the group ran into visa problems and never made it.
Now, nearly 15 years later, Gold has finally brought together the original batch of musicians for a new recording session and project they're calling Afrocubism. It includes Cuban guitarist and singer Eliades Ochoa (he's the one who sings on the Buena Vista opening cut "Chan Chan"), Ochoa's band Grupo Patria, ngoni lute player Bassekou Kouyate, guitarist Djelimady Tounkara, kora master Toumani Diabate, griot singer Kasse Mady Diabate and balafon player Lassana Diabate.
What I've heard of Afrocubism so far sounds pretty awesome. It isn't out until Oct. 19. But they've put out this little mini-documentary about the project that gives a good taste of what to expect.
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