Maria Ochoa

The success of the Buena Vista Social Club has generated many solo recording projects by the group's members, including tres guitarist Eliades Ochoa. Now we have his sister, Maria Ochoa, who is known as "La Dame de la Musica Campesina" in her hometown of Santiago de Cuba.

Her debut recording, Asi Quiero Vivir , is the first truly modern Cuban son music performed by artists who grew up where the son is pure, who understand the tradition of son, and who are now developing the forms and traditions for the next generation. Santiago, Cuba is where son was born, and son is the foundation of all Cuban music.

Maria Ochoa, with her group (including her brother Eliades) perform their personalized versions of the songs she grew up with. The group maintains its roots, rescuing genres that constitute the direct antecedents of son and fuse them with a more contemporary style using their creativity, talent and the heart of each ensemble member. The songs demonstrate the spirit and soul of the people of the countryside, their traditions, the love of the land, nature and their own vision of the world.

— Courtesy Calabash Music