Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal was a famed trumpeter best known for his work with Buena Vista Social Club, who sparked a renewed interest in Cuban music in the 1990s.
- Died: October 28, 2024 (Who else died on October 28?)
- Details of death: Died in Havana at the age of 91.
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Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal’s legacy
The Cuba-born “Guajiro” Mirabal already had a long and successful career as a trumpet player by the time he joined Buena Vista Social Club in the 1990s. Beginning to play in the early 1950s, he was in the jazz band Swing Casino and formed the group Conjunto Rumbavana. He was also a member of the Orquesta Riverside, the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, and other noted ensembles.
However, Mirabal is best known for his work with Buena Vista Social Club. Formed in 1996 and made up largely of veteran Cuban musicians and singers, the band almost immediately surged into the international spotlight, and its eponymous Grammy Award-winning album helped spark a renewed interest in traditional Cuban music. A 1999 documentary, also titled “Buena Vista Social Club,” showcased the group in performance, earning an Academy Award nomination for best documentary feature and further solidifying appreciation of Mirabal’s trumpet-playing worldwide.
Mirabel, a member of Cuba’s National Union of Writers and Artists, won many awards for his work, including the Alejo Carpentier Medal, the Distinction for National Culture, and the Gitana Tropical. His own 2004 album, “Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal,” received acclaim for its faithful take on Cuban music of the 1940s and ‘50s, and it featured a large cast of musicians.
Tributes to Manuel “Guajiro” Mirabal
Full obituary: World Music Central
