ABSTRACT
At the opening of the new millennium, the extraordinary international success of the album Buena Vista Social Club seemed to suggest the existence of a continuity between the present-day accomplishments of Cuban popular music and its ‘golden era’ in pre-revolutionary Cuba. Such an idea has been reinforced by the emphasis placed by the Cuban authorities on national cultural identity, which has given the impression of steady, vigorous state support of local popular music. In the words of Peter Manuel, ‘[t]he revolutionary government has regarded the promotion of popular culture as a high priority; moreover, it has enthusiastically promoted Cuban popular music as a vital part of national heritage’ (1988: 37).
