Chan Chan
Buena Vista Social Club · 1997 · from the album Buena Vista Social Club · written by Compay Segundo
Four chords and a calling card: the son that opened the Buena Vista Social Club album and sent Cuban music round the world again.
- son
Why it matters
In March 1996, producer Ry Cooder and World Circuit's Nick Gold recorded a group of older Cuban musicians at Havana's EGREM studios. The album, Buena Vista Social Club, was recorded in six days and came out in 1997. Chan Chan, written by Compay Segundo, opens it and became the group's signature song.
The album was a critical and commercial success, and is one of the best-selling Latin albums of all time. A 1999 documentary by Wim Wenders followed the musicians to Amsterdam and Carnegie Hall. For many people around the world, it was the first time they had heard Cuban son.
Salsa grew out of this music, so Chan Chan is a good place to hear where the montuno and the call and response of the dance floor come from.
What to listen for
- The four chords going round and round. Son is built on a repeating pattern, so you can settle into the groove and stay there.
- Two old voices together: Compay Segundo, who wrote the song, and Eliades Ochoa, who also plays guitar on it. Listen for how relaxed they sound.
- The small, light rhythm section and the guitar-led sound: no big horn section here. It's the quiet, old-style son that salsa grew out of.
Was this page helpful?