Buena Vista Social Club 25th Anniversary featuring Caribé

Join us at The Byron Theatre this February to celebrate one of Australia's hottest Cuban bands helps us celebrate one of the the landmark music documentaries of all time. Directed by Wim Wenders, Buena Vista Social Club documents when a group of legendary Cuban musicians, some as old as their nineties, were brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder to record a CD that captured the flavour of a musical style all but forgotten in the west following Castro's takeover of Cuba

The resulting film and album became an instant classic, and in 2003 was ranked number 260 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, one of only two albums on the list to be produced in a non-English speaking country. The album has sold over 8 million copies and was awarded the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album and Tropical/Salsa Album of the Year by a Group at the 1998 Billboard Latin Music Awards. In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

This special event features a screening of the film on the biggest screen in Byron Bay, followed by a special live performance by Caribé.

Caribé is a melding of musicians and dancers from Sydney’s Cuban, jazz and Latin communities. The music and choreography integrates elements of traditional Cuban dance and music with a modern jazz aesthetic. Their show is an immersive experience combining incredible dancing, chanting, jazz-inspired compositions and archival footage of Cuban musicians.

‘Caribe gave an exhilarating world class performance of Latin American style jazz and percussion at 2022 BOOM! FESTIVAL OF PERCUSSION. The Everest Theatre was bursting with rhythm, verve and passion and some highly talented musicians.’ Mark Spigot, Oct 8, 2022 Sydney Arts Review

‘Caribe’s Distant Waters makes for joyous listening and dancing, with immersions of cha cha chá, steaming Caribbean rumba rhythms, and chants sung by Adrian Medina. It exemplifies the warmth, sway, and rhythms of Cuban and Latino jazz.’ Barry O’Sullivan, Fine Music Magazine February 2023

“Inspirational jazz composer, saxophonist and band leader Gai Bryant returned to The Street with her wildly successful Cuban jazz outfit Caribe last weekend. For just a moment we were rhythm central, transported by great sounds and the brilliant Cuban dancer Adrian Medina.” Dean Ellis, The Street Theatre. March 6, 2021

6.00 pm - Venue doors and bar open

7.00 pm - Film Screening

8.45 pm - Interval

9.15 pm - Caribe Set

10.30 pm - Event ends