Son cubano, bolero, danzón — the traditional Cuban forms that Jesús “Aguaje” Ramos has devoted his life to preserving don’t transfer easily across generations. Ramos, trombonist and one of only two surviving original members of the Buena Vista Social Club ensemble, brings his 10-piece Buena Vista Orchestra to Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill on Friday, October 9.
About the Show
Ramos was present for the music’s defining cultural moment: he appeared in Wim Wenders’ acclaimed 1999 documentary Buena Vista Social Club and its 2017 sequel Buena Vista Social Club: Adios, and performed at the Carnegie Hall concert documented in the film. What began as a project to record aging Cuban masters became the biggest-selling Cuban music project in history, with the Buena Vista Social Club and related projects reaching global sales of over 50 million.
Ramos has put it plainly. “Rubén González, Ibrahim Ferrer, Cachailto López, Roberto el Millonario are no longer with us—all those legends of Cuban traditional music,” he said. “And we had to continue with that story that we saw grow, that we saw be born, that we nursed and that we gave to the world. And this orchestra is the continuity of all that.” The Peekskill date falls within a 44-city North American tour; the night after, the orchestra moves to Town Hall in New York City.
The 10-piece ensemble pairs veteran Cuban musicians (including bassist Fabián García, the only other surviving original member) with younger players, spanning son, danzón, guajira, bolero, cha cha chá, changüí, and Latin jazz. The program draws from Grammy-winning repertoire including “Chan Chan” and “Dos Gardenias,” alongside compositions Ramos wrote himself. He also served as musical director for Rubén González and appeared on solo recordings by Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo — a résumé that makes him an author of this tradition, not simply its custodian. Press coverage describes him as known for “flashy stage presence and natural charisma,” which fits a show built around call-and-response vocals and a rhythm section that doesn’t permit a passive room.
Venue & Logistics
Paramount Hudson Valley is a theater at 1008 Brown St. in Peekskill, in the Hudson Valley. The seated format suits a program that moves between full-band numbers and quiet bolero passages, where the dynamic range rewards a proper listening room. The October 9 show begins at 8 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets start at $89. Buy tickets.