Buena Vista Social Club

Ry Cooder's name has helped bring attention to this session, but it's the veteran Cuban son musicians who make this album really special. Reminiscent of Ellington in its scope and sense of hushed romanticism, Buena Vista Social Club is that rare meld of quietude and intensity; while the players sound laid-back, they're putting forth very alive music, a reminder that aging doesn't mean taking to bed. Barbarito Torres's laoud solo on "El Cuarto de Tula" is both more blinding and more tasteful than any guitar showcase on any recent rock album; a quote from "Stormy Weather" and some very distinct parallels to Hawaiian styles remind us of why it's called "world music." --Rickey Wright
Customer Review: Essential for any music collection
I am a fan of many types of music including jazz, rock, dance, blues, bluegrass, classical, world, etc. This is easily one of the top 5 albums ever created, regardless of genre. It is a magical culmination of music, musicians, and timing. If you listen to this (no really, close your eyes and really listen) and are not moved by it, you had better check to see that you still have a heartbeat!
Customer Review: Modern classic
I don't consider my house a home without this album. I seriously put it on repeat. It's one of my favorite to cook and clean to and just leave in the stereo when guests arrive. The DVD of the making of this CD provides a valuable context to what these musicians had been through and make the experience of the album that much more potent for me--I'd recommend the DVD, as well. Ry Cooder does a great job with both.

Do you feel frustrated or unfulfilled with the songs you have written? Do you think your songs have to conform to a certain standard before they are any good? If so, what exactly are you comparing them to? You may find you have an unrealistic expectation of yourself or what you think a song is or should be.

If you are unhappy with the songs you have written or think your songs are not what they should be, examine these three songwriting tips to focus your attention on clarifying what you think you want to gain from your songs.

1. Why Do You Want To Write A Song?

What do you want to communicate? Don't dismiss this, answering this question is more important than you think. If you know why you are doing something, your path will be a lot clearer. For instance, do you see yourself performing on some late night TV rock show with the audience going wild for more, or do you want to write a romantic love song to impress your partner? Or maybe you want to perform an acoustic set down at the local bar? The answer will influence your behaviour and your writing style.

2. Write And Do What You Know.

Do you know how to put chord progressions together on the piano and improvise over the top or do you know how to link drum machines and turn tables together to a whole plethora of midi equipment to pump out the biggest, baddest beats this side of Georgia? There is no difference. Your song will have more style and impact if you can find the courage to be yourself and use those talents you have today, not in what you think you should be doing, or what your song should sound like.

3. Develop Your Habit Of Songwriting.

How are you coming up with your ideas? Repetition increases the likely hood of repetition, that means the more you do something, the more you are likely to do it. The more you get into the habit of writing down lyrics in a notebook that you carry with you at all times, the more likely you are to write down lyrics in a notebook that you carry with you at all times. Get into the habit of writing down your thoughts when your inspiration strikes because ideas always strike when you least expect them.

Your inspiration could be in the form of a lyric, a sound you heard in the street, an unusual chord change you heard on the radio or a rhythm your mum was tapping out on her coffee cup. By doing this, you can consult your own wisdom as and when you need it. These are the gems that will determine your style and show you your way forward.

Disciplining yourself to these three songwriting tips will give you confidence in yourself and your music. Realize that to write a song, you do not need to be anybody other than who you are, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whether you are beating out a rhythm on a pair of spoons or bowing an upright punk guitar accompanied by someone tap dancing in a different time signature, songwriting is subjective. Someone somewhere will love whatever you do, someone somewhere will absolutely trash it as the most unbelievable pile of garbage to ever appear on the music scene in the history of music. The most important question you need to ask yourself at the end of the day is, do you like it?

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