Buena Vista Social Club

In years past, famous musicians such as Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval defected from Cuba, citing political persecution. These days, some musicians still leave the island to live abroad. But because the Cuban government now allows more musicians to travel freely, many have chosen to stay.

Cuban guitarist Manuel Galban became known in the U.S. after playing with Buena Vista Social Club and winning a Grammy with Ry Cooder. But Galban has long been famous in Cuba because of his work with one of Cuba's most famous groups of the 1960s.

Pianist Ruben Gonzalez was a member of the Buena Vista Social Club, a group of musicians profiled in the documentary Buena Vista Social Club, which sparked international interest in traditional Cuban music.

Segundo, a member of the internationally famous Buena Vista Social Club, was known for his unique styles of singing and playing the guitar. According to producer Ry Cooder, Segundo's style was much more than Cuban; it was informed by his wide knowledge of and experience in music.

Omara Portuondo's career as a vocalist in both female- and male-dominated groups has brought her worldwide success. With her latest album, she's finally able to realize her musical goal to be "in the middle of a lot of men, and to control them."

The Cuban singer had retired from singing in the early 1990s, until record producers Ry Cooder, Nick Gold and Cuban bandleader Juan de Marco Gonzalez rediscovered him during the making of the 1999 documentary Buena Vista Social Club. Here, he discusses his long and eventful career in music.

Wim Wenders' documentary about Cuban music, Buena Vista Social Club, has raised interest in the traditional son style — both in the U.S. and at home, where the film wasn't even released.

It's been three years since Antony and the Johnsons released a CD. The band is back with a new EP featuring the strangely haunting voice of frontman Antony Hegarty. Hear "Shake That Devil" from Another World. Also on the show: a live recording of the Buena Vista Social Club performing at Carnegie Hall; old school soul from singer Raphael Saadiq; the vivid imagery of singer David Eugene Edwards and Woven Hand; songwriter Scott Garred, a music therapist by day and Super XX Man by night; and a wrecking ball of an album from the Athens, GA band Dead Confederate.

It's been three years since Antony and the Johnsons released a CD. The band is back with a new EP featuring the strangely haunting voice of frontman Antony Hegarty. Hear "Shake That Devil" from Another World. Also on the show: a live recording of the Buena Vista Social Club performing at Carnegie Hall; old school soul from singer Raphael Saadiq; the vivid imagery of singer David Eugene Edwards and Woven Hand; songwriter Scott Garred, a music therapist by day and Super XX Man by night; and a wrecking ball of an album from the Athens, GA band Dead Confederate.