The Cuban musician Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal, known for his participation in the iconic musical project Buena Vista Social Club, passed away on Monday, October 28, at the age of 91 in Havana, according to the Cuban Institute of Music. In a statement published, the Cuban Institute of Music highlighted that 'Manuel is considered one of the greatest trumpeters of Cuba and the world, and his passing represents a regrettable loss for Cuban music and culture.'
Omara Portuondo, known as the diva of Buena Vista Social Club, shared a message of gratitude and farewell: 'I just received the sad news that ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal has passed away, dear brother, great friend, great musician, great man.'
Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal was born on May 5, 1933, in Melena del Sur, in the province of Mayabeque, near Havana. He began his career in 1951 and played the trumpet for more than 70 years. He participated in important Cuban orchestras, such as the Conjunto Rumbahabana and the Riverside Orchestra, and gained worldwide fame with the Buena Vista Social Club project, which solidified him as a legend of Cuban music.
The Buena Vista Social Club brings together prominent musicians from the pre-revolutionary era and is recognized worldwide, especially for its self-titled album, which won a Grammy Award in 1998 and became the best-selling Cuban album of all time. In the late 1990s, they were persuaded to return to the stage by the Cuban star Juan de Marcos González, Nick Gold from the record label World Circuit, and American guitarist Ry Cooder. Their experience was captured in the film 'Buena Vista Social Club' by German director Wim Wenders.
The Buena Vista Social Club was a Havana society for people of African descent, very famous in the decades of the 20th century. The group was inaugurated in 1939 and moved to the old neighborhood of Alturas de Almendares. Its headquarters was a residence 15 meters long and 20 meters wide.
