A ONE-TIME GIG TO SUPPORT INTEREST IN THE MOVIE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB CREATED THE BAND CUBA LA, BUT A OVER A DECADE LATER THEIR LOVE OF THE MUSIC AND JOY IN PERFORMING GETS THEM TOGETHER AGAIN AND AGAIN (MUSIC) WHEN WE WERE ASKED TO DO THIS PROJECT, CALLED CUBA LA, WITH A COMPANY THAT IS NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE- IT'S CALLED NORADA- AND WE WERE ASKED IF THERE WAS, UH, CUBAN MUSICIANS OUT HERE, IT WAS IN THE HEYDAY OF THE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, AND IT WAS ALL THINGS CUBAN AND RE-ISSUES AND RE-RECORDING, THE MARKET, THE INDUSTRY JUST WENT CRAZY DOING CUBAN MUSIC.

WHEN THE CALL CAME THROUGH AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD DATES THAT'S WHEN I CALLED MY FRIENDS.

(MUSIC) AND WE ARE JUST NOW 18 YEARS LATER PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO BECOME INTERESTED IN US, BECAUSE WHEN THEY HEAR US PLAY, YOU KNOW, IS THIS A NEW BAND?

NO WE ARE NOT A NEW BAND, WE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, AND THESE ARE THE RECORDS WE HAVE DONE, THEY ARE OUT OF PRINT AND WE DON'T OWN THE CONTRACT FOR THE RECORD WHICH IS WHY WE HAVEN'T RECORDED ANY NEW STUFF, BUT, PEOPLE REALLY REALLY ENJOY WHAT WE DO.

(MUSIC) I THINK WE ARE TORCH CARRIERS, WE ARE CONTINUING TO CARRY THE TORCH, BUT WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO , UM, EXPRESS OURSELVES AND INTERPRET THE MUSIC WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

(MUSIC) THERE'S AN ART INTO MAKING THIS KIND OF MUSIC, AND IT MAKES US REALLY REALLY DIFFERENT.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF CUBAN MUSIC GOING ON IN TOWN BUT WE ARE REALLY REALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE LIKE TO TRY TO HIGH-LIGHT, WE HIGH-LIGHT THE ARTISTRY , THE MUSICAL ARTISTRY THAT TAKES PLACE JUST TO MAKE IT SOUND A CERTAIN PARTICULAR WAY, WITH OUT VOCALS.

AND IF YOU HAVE VOCALS, THEN YOU KNOW, IT USUALLY TAKES AWAY FROM BEING ABLE TO APPRECIATE THE MUSICAL.

(NATS) SPEAKING SPANISH, MUSIC FOR ME, IN ALL SINCERITY, IN ALL HONESTY, IT'S THE HIGH-LIGHT OF MY MUSICAL CAREER, TO ACTUALLY PLAY WITH CUBA LA BECAUSE IT'S THE MUSIC THAT I LOVE AND I KNOW I'M GONNA HAVE A GREAT TIME DOING IT.

(MUISC) THIS IS WHAT I THINK IS GREAT ABOUT CUBA LA, THE MUSIC ACTUALLY TALKS TO US AND IT TELLS THE DIRECTION WE SHOULD TAKE.

RIGHT.

SO WHEN YOU ARE IN-TUNE TO THE MUSIC-TO THAT SOUND THAT IS OUT THERE-AND YOU ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN- IT ACTUALLY TELLS YOU THE DIRECTION THAT THE MUSIC IS GONNA GO IN AND THAT'S WHERE WE GO.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A GREAT CONVERSATION.

YOU TRY TO MAKE THIS POINT BUT THE CONVERSATION WENT IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, AND WHERE YOU WENT IS A REALLY COOL PLACE.

MUSIC MAKING IS LIKE THAT FOR US.

(MUSIC) THE MAIN UNDERTONE OF CUBA LA IS THE FEEL AND THE MAGIC OF THE CUBAN MUSIC AND YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT AND YOU TRY TO DO THAT, AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE COOKING- PUT A LITTLE OF THIS A LITTLE OF THAT, SPARINGLY, AND GRADUALLY IT KIND OF COMES OUT, AND, WE'LL HEAR IT... (MUISC) CUBAN MUSIC FOR ME, MY FIRST LOVE.

ANY TIME I GET TO DO IT AND WITH THESE GENTLEMAN , CUBA LA, THAT'S JUST THE MAX.

SO... (MUSIC) YOU KIND OF SURPRISE YOURSELF YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD GO THERE COULD DO THAT.

WE DID AND UH IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

(MUSIC) THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR EVERYBODY TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS A COLLECTIVE GROUP.

IT GIVES US, EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISPLAY THEIR WARES AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.