Eliades Ochoa

To the Cuba of the Buena Vista Social Club Eliades Ochoa is known worldwide as the voice of “Chan Chan” and as the figurehead of traditional Cuban son. As a core member of the Buena Vista Social Club, he brought this music to an international audience. With his distinctive baritone voice and guitar playing, Ochoa has been synonymous with son, bolero and guaracha for over six decades. Over the years, this ‘Cuban Johnny Cash’ has built up an enormous repertoire, performing equally well with his own bands and with the legendary Quarteto Patria. For this evening at Ha, he and his band have selected both iconic classics and forgotten gems, deeply rooted in the passionate guajira and country music under the Cuban sun. “There are no distances, languages or borders, there is nothing like that in the music I create. I am a jíbaro (farmer) who lives proudly every time I finish a performance with an standing ovation, and I owe it to my culture that I have never stopped doing traditional Cuban music. Cuban son is the highlight expression of my art.” – Eliades Ochoa