Omara Portuondo

A legendary Cuban star, Omara Portuondo has been performing for six decades but did not become well known until she appeared in the 1996 film The Buena Vista Social Club. She started as a dancer in 1945 and was soon doubling as a singer, working with Loquimbambla Swing and Cuarteto d'Aida, sometimes appearing in Miami. The Cuban revolution resulted in Portuondo not being able to return to the U.S. and she attained success in Cuba, making albums, touring, appearing in films, and even having her own television series. By the 1990s, she had drifted into semi-retirement and was on the verge of being forgotten. But Portuondo’s association with guitarist Ry Cooder and Buena Vista resulted in a major comeback that continues to the present day. Her recent string of acclaimed CDs, including the Latin Grammy-nominated Gracias, as well as last year’s SFJAZZ performance, prove Omara’s vitality as a treasure re-discovered....

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A legendary Cuban star, Omara Portuondo has been performing for six decades but did not become well known until she appeared in the 1996 film The Buena Vista Social Club. She started as a dancer in 1945 and was soon doubling as a singer, working with Loquimbambla Swing and Cuarteto d'Aida, sometimes appearing in Miami. The Cuban revolution resulted in Portuondo not being able to return to the U.S. and she attained success in Cuba, making albums, touring, appearing in films, and even having her own television series. By the 1990s, she had drifted into semi-retirement and was on the verge of being forgotten. But Portuondo’s association with guitarist Ry Cooder and Buena Vista resulted in a major comeback that continues to the present day. Her recent string of acclaimed CDs, including the Latin Grammy-nominated Gracias, as well as last year’s SFJAZZ performance, prove Omara’s vitality as a treasure re-discovered.

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