Buena Vista Social Club in concert at UA

Renowned Cuban jazz ensemble Buena Vista Social Club returns to Centennial Hall tonight and tomorrow with an all-new show starring singer Omara Portuondo and laud player Barbarito Torres.

Brought together in 1998 by American rock guitarist Ry Cooder, Buena Vista Social Club has become an international phenomenon. The group produced a self-titled, Grammy Award-winning album, been the subject of an Oscar-nominated documentary by director Wim Wenders, and helped spark an explosion of renewed interest in traditional Cuban music and culture.

UApresents communications director Mark Rasdorf said that last year's Buena Vista show was "the sleeper event of the season." The group's "ultra-hot" performance had sold-out Centennial Hall crowds dancing in the aisles, he said.

"You could feel the energy from the audience the moment you walked in the hall," Rasdorf said. "Once the band took the stage, it was an ecstatic celebration."

Rasdorf said he expects that this year's show will be no different. The current tour features a large supporting cast, including several of the musicians featured in the Wenders film. Each featured performer will be backed by a large band, with as many as 20 musicians on stage at a time.