Royal Albert Hall, LondonA varied set of Social Club classics and solo works brings the crowd to its feet, but some of the music’s delicacy and charm were lost along the wayEliades Ochoa will always be best known for his role with the Buena Vista Social Club, the extraordinary band of Cuban veterans to which he brought energy, instrumental and vocal skill – and comparative youth. (He was a mere 51 when their bestselling album was released in 1997.) Tonight, making his solo debut at the Royal Albert Hall, he proved he is still a remarkable guitarist, switching with ease between tight, rhythmic strumming and rousing solos on his heavily amplified acoustic tres guitar. As ever, he sported his trademark cowboy hat as a reminder of his roots in the countryside. In a varied set, he was keen to balance the expected Buena Vista songs with reminders of his other projects. But he seemed so determined to get the crowd to their feet – which he finally achieved with El Cuarto de Tula, a long-time favourite he famously re-recorded with Buena Vista – that he failed to display the subtlety evident in so many of his recordings. Continue reading…
Via: Eliades Ochoa review – subtlety in short supply but Buena Vista veteran is still remarkable
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