Amazon.com essential recording: Cuban pianist Rubén González has lived through this century's greatest musical windstorms, from the emergence of son to salsa to Latin Jazz and more. Born in 1919, González also retired from playing professionally years before this, his debut CD, was even recorded. He reemerged in 1996 when World Circuit stopped in Cuba to record for several days. He ended up making a thrilling debut. This impromptu CD was cut in a day, and its limber vibe shines for all its uptempo looseness. González plays a rainbow of Cuban rhythms and prods his percussionists and lone trumpeter to great depths of conversation and great heights of flash. --Andrew Bartlett
amazing pianist i've really been enjoying this c.d.,especially the rhythm section,but the piano is flawless.thank god ruben cut this album before he passed on. he is considered one of the top 3 pianists to ever come out of cuba.put this c.d. on,lite up a nice cigar,and it really transports you!!
Cuban Piano Lots of latin, cuban style piano music.....similar to Bebos piano, if you like piano and good latin music for listening or dancing, this is it.
You're more familiar with Rubén González than you think This is a brilliant album. You're more familiar with it than you think: I'm sitting here at my local Starbuck's and they're playing the CD in full, 11 years after its release. It's not a one-time occurrence: you hardly ever hear the contemporaneously released Buena Vista Social Club these days, but you hear "Introducing..." everywhere and all the time. González passed away in 2003 at age 84, but his legend only grows. As to why González was discovered by worldwide audiences so late in his life, well, there was the little matter of the Revolution and 37 or so lost and buried years (1959 to rediscovery in 1996).
One of the best piano players of Cuban Music I liked this CD a lot because Ruben Gonzalez is one of the best pianist Cuban has produced. The music selection is excellent. I listen to the CD often. It has a combination of easy listening rhythms with exiting Afro-Cuban. I highly recomend this CD.
An un/rediscovered gem! Having just seen the movie "Buena Vista Social Club", I needed to hear more wonderful music from the principal musicians and singers. Special thanks should go to Ry Cooder and his son for rediscovering this historic music before they all passed.( Of whom most already have.) All the musicians and singers are very special in their own singular, as well as collective right, but my personal favorite is Ruben Gonzalez on piano. What a Gem! I urge anyone who loves Afro-Cuban Jazz to add this to your collection, you WILL NOT be disappointed!
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