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• Arts and Culture
• Music
• 10 / 24 / 2006

By Rod Adams

The already lengthy title of this mightily successful opening night of Glasgow's world music festival might easily have been even longer.

While highlighting the appearance of four of the stalwarts of Cuba's revered Buena Vista Social Club family, it omitted to mention a supporting cast of musicians who could all justify returning at some point as headliners.

The four nominal stars are all, unarguably, characters. Cachaito Lopez, although appearing rather frail, continues to boss the bass clef with authority, sureness of touch and casual trickery.

Guajiro Mirabal's trumpet playing is as incisive and beautifully burnished as ever. Manuel Galban, on guitar, brings an admirable, rascal-like unpredictability and Jesus "Aguaje" Ramos is the host with the most and a trombone style that blends showmanship with schooled concision.

All these ingredients are put to the service of a 90-minute show that celebrates Cuban music's history and feel-good factor, its sunny vocal chants and effortless, hip-swaying rhythms.

Had there been room in the packed Old Fruitmarket for a dance floor, it undoubtedly would have been filled. The theatre-style seating, however, allowed the spotlight to fall on the superb musicianship, not least from pianist Roberto Fonseca, whose rhapsodic invention and piano-keyboard-as-88-drums approach were breathtaking.

There were masterclasses, too, from the outstanding Javier Zalba, on alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet and flute, and splendid solos on congas and timbales and from Mirabal's trumpet colleague, Luis Alemany. And if successors are being sought for Cuba's sweethearts of song, Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo, then the impish Carlos Calunga and the statuesque Idania Valdez must be emerging contenders.

Source: The Herald