Cooder Makes a Cameo With Cubans on Memorable Stop

The most in-demand (legal) Cuban export of recent years made its way to Los Angeles Saturday night when Buena Vista Social Club members Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer brought their bands to UCLA’s Royce Hall.

The musicians had already appeared Thursday at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (reviewed in Saturday’s Calendar), but this evening had a special spark--from fans seeking rare tickets to the sold-out event to speculation whether guitarist Ry Cooder, who is largely responsible for unearthing these musicians and encouraging their revival of vintage Cuban sounds, would sit in on his hometown show.

After the 80-year-old pianist Gonzalez opened with a lovely set that showcased his still-amazing dexterity, Ferrer’s 14-member orchestra took the stage to back the vocalist. And they had a special guest: Cooder, content to provide subtle accompaniment--except when he traded exquisite solos with guitarist Manuel Galban on the bolero “Herido de Sombras” and the son “Marieta.”

Among the other highlights, musical and otherwise: trombonist Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos’ breaking into “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and encouraging a spirited audience sing-along; actress Salma Hayek (called away by nature or an agent’s call?) sprinting up and down the aisle at one point during Gonzalez’s set, seemingly anxious to miss as little as possible; and Wim Wenders, who directed the “Buena Vista Social Club” documentary, doing a modest pogo when the audience rose to dance.

Good news: Gonzalez and Ferrer return on Feb. 18 to the Wiltern Theatre and Feb. 23 to Royce Hall; Bad news: the initial batch of tickets for both shows has already sold out. Some tickets have been held back and will be released shortly before the scheduled dates.