Bubbling, overflowing joie de vivre with traditional son cubano When the Buena Vista Social Club recorded it's first album in 1997, it was a group consisting of senior gentlemen who had lived son, the traditional music of Cuba, from their childhood. In search of younger additions to their ranks, they soon realized that there was only one younger person with son cubano in his blood in the same way that the elder members had: he was Luis Frank Arias, then in his early thirties. His name became legendary and he toured around the world and in 2002 founded his own band with former members of the Buena Vista Social Club: they called themselves the Soneros de Verdad and they see themselves as "the second generation of the Buena Vista Social Club" and they enjoy global success. To make one point clear: the band, which includes the legendary PÃ-o Leyva as one of it's founding members, remains faithful to traditional son cubano. However, it does so in it's own way: because in addition to the Cuban classics, Soneros also present many new songs "in the old style". Traditional Cuban son music developed as a blend of Afro-Cuban drum rhythms and the guitar music of the Spanish farmers; it's roots date back to the middle of the 19th century. In the early 20th century, this musical style reached the capital city of Havana, and from there it began it's glorious path all around the world. The Soneros de Verdad are part of the second wave of son, which particularly experienced an international revival after the release of Wim Wenders's famous movie "Buena Vista Social Club". However, they mix their music with other styles, such as jazz and bolero elements. In 2003 they won the German Jazz Award. Their new album, entitled VIVA CUBA, is released to accompany the tour. This disc contains some very special surprises. The track "Rumba" is dedicated to the great Cuban artists Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and also to Willie Chirino, who all live outside Cuba and were banned from performing in Cuba: it is an invitation to them to perform in Cuba once more. It includes the Cuban hymn to Che Guevara, "Hasta Siempre Comandante" in a modern, jazzy version, which symbolizes Cuba's atmosphere of change, and a dance-pop number called "Alle zusammen" ("All together"). Cuba is opening up to the world, and the Soneros de Verdad are in on the act.