Jax: Buena Vista Social Club at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall (November 18, 2026)
Cuban music did not begin with Buena Vista Social Club, nor does its story end there. Long before the world fell in love with the voices of Compay Segundo and Ibrahim Ferrer, generations of visionary musicians were transforming African rhythms, Spanish melodies, jazz, and Caribbean traditions into one of the richest musical cultures on Earth. Their innovations would give birth to son, danzón, mambo, cha-cha-cha, bolero, descarga, Afro-Cuban jazz, songo, timba, and ultimately much of the Latin music that continues to captivate audiences around the globe today.
With their powerful new studio album, Ayer, Hoy, Mañana (Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow), The Buena Vista Orchestra celebrates that entire musical journey. Rather than revisiting a single moment in Cuban history, the internationally acclaimed ensemble honors more than a century of artistic evolution, from the pioneering brilliance of Miguel Matamoros, Arsenio Rodríguez, María Teresa Vera, Dámaso Pérez Prado, Chano Pozo, Benny Moré, Compay Segundo, Félix Chappottín, Bebo Valdés, Mario Bauzá, Mongo Santamaría, and Celia Cruz, through innovators like Juan Formell, Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, and the artists who continue shaping Cuban music today.
Recorded between Philadelphia and Miami, Ayer, Hoy, Mañana blends timeless Cuban rhythms with sophisticated contemporary production, creating a collection that honors tradition while embracing the future. Produced by Juan Alvarez and Jason Duarté, with Brian McTear serving as engineer and co-producer at Miner Street Studios, the album captures the remarkable musicianship of an ensemble dedicated to preserving Cuban music as a living, evolving art form. Among its most moving moments is a special appearance by legendary Cuban vocalist Omara Portuondo on the iconic “Chan Chan,” creating a powerful bridge between generations of Cuban artists. That philosophy defines Buena Vista Orchestra.
Widely regarded as the world’s foremost Cuban music repertory ensemble, the Orchestra features musicians whose careers include performances alongside Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, Chucho Valdés, Willie Colón, Cachao López, Oscar D’León, and countless other icons. Rather than preserving Cuban music as nostalgia, the ensemble approaches it as a living tradition; one that continues to grow with every generation.
Presented by SSK Music, a division of The School of Sacred Knowledge, the project is executive produced by legendary music executive Steven Machat, whose five-decade career has included work with Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Leonard Cohen, Electric Light Orchestra, Ozzy Osbourne, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Manu Dibango, Grimes, Arca, Yung Lean, and the co-founding of the groundbreaking WOMAD (World of Music, Arts & Dance) festival alongside Peter Gabriel.
“For too long, people have thought of Cuban music as one brief chapter in its history,” says Steven Machat. “The Buena Vista Social Club represented a beautiful moment, but Cuba’s musical story began long before that and continues today. Ayer, Hoy, Mañana is our way of celebrating the complete history of Cuban music; from its earliest architects to today’s innovators and tomorrow’s visionaries. This music was never created in isolation. It grew from the meeting of African and Spanish traditions, constantly evolving through creativity, resilience, and cultural exchange. We honor every generation that came before us while ensuring this extraordinary legacy continues to move forward.”
That spirit echoes throughout the album’s previously released singles, including the fiery reimagining of the Cuban classic “Candela,” which captures Buena Vista Orchestra’s commitment to honoring beloved standards while introducing fresh rhythmic textures that resonate with modern audiences.
Ayer, Hoy, Mañana arrives as The Buena Vista Orchestra continues an expansive international tour across North America and Europe. Upcoming performances include The Town Hall in New York City, The Warfield in San Francisco, The Wiltern in Los Angeles, House of Blues venues in Chicago, Houston, and New Orleans, Indigo at The O2 in London, and dozens of additional theaters and performing arts centers throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.
U.S. TOUR DATES 2026 & EUROPE 2027
SEPT 23: Théâtre Capitole, Québec City, QC
SEPT 24: Théâtre du Casino, Gatineau, Canada
SEPT 27: House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
SEPT 28: Bogarts, Cincinnati, OH
SEPT 30: The National, Richmond, VA
OCT 2: University of Georgia PAC, Athens, GA
OCT 4: Rams Head On Stage, Annapolis, MD
OCT 6: Hanover Theatre, Worcester, MA
OCT 7: The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville, PA
OCT 8: Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston, MA
OCT 9: Paramount Hudson Theater, Peekskill, NY
OCT 10: The Town Hall, New York, NY
OCT 11: Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown, NJ
OCT 15: Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT
OCT 16: MTELUS, Montreal, QC
OCT 17: the Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON
OCT 18: Center in The Square, Kitchener, ON
OCT 21: Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN
OCT 22: The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL
OCT 23: The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI
OCT 24: The Fillmore, Minneapolis, MN
OCT 25: Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
OCT 27: Myer Horowitz Theatre, Edmonton, AB
OCT 28: Bella Concert Hall, Calgary, AB
OCT 29: Kelowna Comm. Theatre, Kelowna, BC
OCT 30: Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC
OCT 31: Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA
NOV 1: Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR
NOV 5: Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto, CA
NOV 6: The Warfield, San Francisco, CA
NOV 7: Fox Performing Arts Center, Riverside, CA
NOV 8: The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
NOV 11: Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe, NM
NOV 14: House of Blues, Houston, TX
NOV 15: House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
NOV 18: Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
NOV 21: Miami Beach Bandshell, Miami Beach, FL
NOV 22: Key West Theater, Key West, FL
2027
FEB 6: Indigo at The O2, London, UK
FEB 12: McCarter Theatre Center, Princeton, NJ
MARCH 19: Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham, WA