Ry Cooder - Buena Vista Social Club

Analogue Productions Ultra Tape reel-to-reel reissues!

Buena Vista Social Club's famed album captivates with Cuban music!

15 ips, ¼-inch 2-track (½ track) analog tape copy

Sourced from original master tapes

Tapes transferred real time on Ampex ATR 102 tape machines at Blue Heaven Studios

Includes 12-page booklet with lyrics and studio images

Custom slipcase cover - highest quality tape reissue!

"Finally we get to the main event: the UltraTape. So, just how good is it?

"Quite frankly it's in another league! Take everything that the stunning 45rpm 4-LP set achieves and then simply forget it!! Literally every single aspect of this already phenomenal recording is better than you've ever heard it before. Whereas all of the other versions portray the wonderful space, the air, the venue, the acoustic, the tape really takes you there. Man, you can pretty much smell the dust, the sweet cigar smoke. You can feel the early morning sun baking the dry earth, burning away the dew. Track after track, you're transported across the ocean and back through the decades, not only back to 1996 when this recording was made, but decades earlier, through the deep past of these wonderful musicians of, quite literally, another age.

"Even the 45rpm 4-LP set sounds somewhat forced and manufactured to me after hearing the tape. I mean, don't get me wrong, this is as perfect a record as I can imagine a recording can be. But what we have with the Ultratape is a direct 15 ips copy of Jerry Boys' original master tape. This is precious. It feels like owning the Elgin Marbles or the Dead Sea Scrolls!" — Dave Denyer, The Reel-to-Reel Rambler, April 29, 2025. Read the entire review here.

Transport yourself to the vibrant streets of Havana with the Buena Vista Social Club's eponymous album, a captivating journey into the heart of Cuban music! Recorded in 1996 by acclaimed producer Ry Cooder, this timeless masterpiece celebrates the rich tapestry of Afro-Cuban rhythms and soulful melodies that have enchanted audiences for generations.

From Analogue Productions comes another classic title in our Ultra Tape reel-to-reel album reissue series. Each is a 15 ips, ¼-inch analog tape copy (IEC equalization) sourced from a copy of the original analog master tape. Transferred real-time, using an ATR-modified Ampex Tape Machine with flux magnetic heads, by Matthew Luthans at Blue Heaven Studios. Custom slipcase cover.

Buena Vista Social Club is both the name given to this extraordinary group of musicians and the album, recorded in just seven days in 1996 in Havana's 1950s vintage EGREM studios. From the infectious energy of "Chan Chan" to the heartfelt nostalgia of "Dos Gardenias," each track immerses listeners in the intoxicating blend of son, bolero, and guajira styles. Led by legendary musicians such as Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Omara Portuondo, the Buena Vista Social Club ensemble delivers performances that are as exuberant as they are intimate, capturing the essence of a bygone era while igniting a passion for Cuban music that knows no bounds.

The acclaim of the original album has elevated the artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González and Omara Portuondo) to superstar status, inspired an award-winning film by Wim Wenders, and has contributed to popularizing Cuba's rich musical heritage. Produced by Ry Cooder for World Circuit, the timeless quality of the music and the sheer verve of the veteran performers have ensured that this will go down as one of the landmark recordings of the 20th century.

Embark on a musical odyssey filled with warmth, joy, and the irresistible allure of Havana nights!