BELLEZA PURA INTERVIEWS DEMETRIO MUÑIZ ON THE LEGACY AND FUTURE OF BUENA VISTA ALL STARS
THE SPANISH PUBLICATION SPEAKS WITH THE ACCLAIMED MUSICAL DIRECTOR ABOUT HIS HISTORY WITH BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, THE CREATION OF UNA NOCHE EN LA HABANA, AND THE MUSICIANS CARRYING CUBAN MUSIC FORWARD
Spanish publication Belleza Pura has presented an extensive interview with Buena Vista All Stars musical director Demetrio Muñiz, exploring his remarkable career, his years with Buena Vista Social Club, and the artistic vision behind Una Noche en La Habana.
Muñiz recalls joining the Buena Vista Social Club project in the late 1990s to form and direct Ibrahim Ferrer’s orchestra. From the beginning, he served as musical director and orchestrator while also performing on trombone and contributing backing vocals—an experience he remembers as one of the most meaningful chapters of his career.
The interview also reflects on the extraordinary musicians who shaped that era, including Ibrahim Ferrer, Guajiro Mirabal, Orlando “Cachaíto” López, and Rubén González. Muñiz celebrates not only their virtuosity but also their humanity and unmistakable individual musical voices.
Turning to Buena Vista All Stars today, Muñiz explains that the current musicians were selected for far more than technical excellence. Their character, humanity, stage presence, and individual artistic personalities are essential to the ensemble’s distinctive sound and energy.
The feature highlights original Buena Vista Social Club member Barbarito Torres on laúd, acclaimed trumpeter Manuel Machado, vocalist Ángel Aguiar, and singer Amy Gaviria, whose interpretations help connect Cuba’s musical heritage with a new generation.
Discussing Una Noche en La Habana, Muñiz explains how the ensemble approaches beloved classics with profound respect while giving each song its own identity. The interview highlights the new interpretation of “Bésame Mucho,” Amy Gaviria’s remarkable voice, and Ángel Aguiar’s connection to Cuba’s great vocal tradition.
It also explores original and reimagined pieces including “Mi Música Cubana,” “Machado’s Blues,” and “Clocks,” which brings together pop, Cuban son, jazz improvisation, blues, and Afro-Cuban percussion in an unexpected musical journey.
Through the conversation, Belleza Pura presents Buena Vista All Stars as a family of exceptional musicians united by a shared purpose: honoring the artists who came before them while ensuring that Cuban music continues to evolve, inspire, and move audiences around the world.
