Ravinia 2025 Issue 6

PAVILION 7:00 PMWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2025 UB40 with special guest BUENA VISTA ORCHESTRA † Buena Vista Orchestra –Intermission– UB40 † Ravinia debut BUENA VISTA ORCHESTRA In 2024, Cuban trombonist, composer, arranger, and musical director Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos— best known as the original orchestra leader, composer, and trombonist of the Buena Vista Social Club—brought together key players from throughout the history of BVSC to form the Buena Vista Orchestra and lead a new stage pro- duction reviving the greatest hits and deep-dive cuts from the group’s repertoire. Ramos also served long stints in world-class ensembles like Estrellas de Areito and Afro-Cuban All Stars, performing on their World Circuit recordings as well as on solo albums by Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, and Omara Portuondo. His musical journey and history was brought into focus with the critically acclaimed 1999 documentary Buena Vista Social Club . The inaugural Buena Vista Orchestra not only toured but recorded two volumes of Greatest Recorded Performances —to date, the Buena Vista Social Club and related projects have global sales standing at over 50 million, making it the biggest-selling Cuban music project in history. As one critic put it, Buena Vista has become “world music’s equivalent of The Dark Side of the Moon .” After joining the 2024 tour, Cuban violinist Rolan- do Morejón Reyes leads a new ensemble of musicians from Buena Vista Social Club performances, Afro-Cuban All Stars, and more. His own credits also include the bands of Omara Portuondo, Willie Colón, Cachao Lopez, and Oscar D’León. He is joined by trumpeter Antonio Perigo (Celia Cruz, Afro-Cuban All Stars), percussionist Miguel Valdés (Afro-Cuban All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club, McCoy Tyner), percussionist Conrado García (founder of Timba Live and son of original BVSC mem- ber Roberto García), pianist Helder Rojas (La Charanga Habanera and noted for his playing at the fa- mous Buena Vista Social Club Havana concert), international trombone sensation Yosmel Garcerarn (Trombonanga), Latin Grammy winning vocalist and songwriter Barbara Zamora Vargas, and vocal powerhouse Julio Rodriguez Delet (appearing in Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway), among oth- ers. The Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club played Ravinia in 2010 and 2015. UB40 UB40 is one of the most successful and influen- tial British groups of all time, with more than 100 million albums sold, more than 50 charting singles in the UK—including their trademark global number-one hits “Red Red Wine” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You”—and US top-10 hits “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” The reggae-pop legends recently celebrated their 45th anniversary, crystallizing around their 2024 album featuring new songs and reworked clas- sics, titled UB45 . “For more than 40 years, we’ve been one of the hardest working touring bands in pop music,” says guitarist/vocalist and Robin Campbell, who co-founded the UB40 alongside Jimmy Brown (drums), Earl Falconer (bass, vo- cals), and Norman Hassan (percussion, trom- bone, vocals)—the core of the band for its entire ever-evolving history. Lead singer Matt Doyle joined the band in 2021 after Duncan Camp- bell, UB40’s lead singer since 2008, retired after surviving a stroke. UB40 first encountered the magic Doyle brings to the stage as a singer and performer when his Birmingham-based reggae band Kioko opened for them in 2018 at Royal Albert Hall and supported UB40 on their subse- quent UK and European tours. “Watching Matt standing centerstage like a rabbit in headlights, full of shock and awe that he’s playing with a band he loved growing up, was simply fantas- tic,” Campbell recalls. “But now he’s settled into the job with consummate ease.” For Doyle, nat- urally, it’s beyond a dream to be in those pro- verbial headlights. “Everyone has been so warm and welcoming,” he says, “and I’ve received so many beautiful wishes from fans from around the world. Not only is it amazing being with the band singing these incredible songs I grew up with, but it’s also a blast sitting in a room just listening to these guys with so much worldwide touring experience tell their stories.” UB40’s current lineup also includes longtime members Martin Meredith (saxophone/WX7/keyboards), Laurence Parry (trumpet/flugel trombone), Ian Thompson (saxophone), and newest member Jahred Gordon (keyboards), plus permanent guest emcee Gilly G. UB40 previously played Ravinia in 2008, and the spinoff group featuring Ali Campbell, Astro, and Mickey Virtue took the stage in 2017. RAVINIAMAGAZINE • AUG. 18 – AUG. 31, 2025 80