Cuban pianist Rubén González’s classic debut album Introducing… Rubén González was reissued on double 180gm vinyl and CD on June 16 via World Circuit Records. González originally recorded the album when he was 77 years old, and its release led to a remarkable late flowering of his career that lasted until his death in 2003.
The reissue features extended and unreleased tracks from World Circuit’s storied two-weeks Havana recording blitz of 1996, which also produced the self-titled Buena Vista Social Club and Afro Cuban All Stars’ first studio album, A Toda le Gusta, on which González also played.
Listen to the previously unreleased track “Discarga Ruben Y Cachaito” from Introducing… Rubén González below:
The reissue of Introducing… Rubén González coincides with the summer 2017 release of Buena Vista Social Club: Adios, a feature-length documentary about the band. This new documentary features González in depth.
Watch the trailer of Buena Vista Social Club: Adios below:
In addition, new footage of González’s first-ever show outside of Cuba recently surfaced. The video features the song “Dos Gardenias” in an April 6, 1997 performance at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, United Kingdom. Watch the video below: