Timeless classic from 1997: solo debut of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club pianist. Ry Cooder said of Ruben Gonzalez, "The greatest solo pianist I've heard in my life." Yet his career didn't really take off until after he had already retired. That was in 1996, when he recorded "Introducing ...," his solo debut

At that time, the pianist, who was born in 1919 in the city of Santa Clara in Cuba, no longer owned his own instrument. The album was released the following year by World Circuit as part of the "Buena Vista Social Club" CD produced by Cooder. On it, Gonzalez is joined by Compay Segundo, the head of the Buena Vista Social Club, as well as Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo and several other mostly older Cuban musicians of retirement age. "Buena Vista Social Club" followed the Wenders film of the same name, which helped the formation and its members gain unprecedented popularity around the globe

The re-release of "Introducing ..." contains the three songs "Cumbanchero", "Tres Lindas Cubanas" and "Tumbao" in extended versions as well as the unreleased bonus track "Descarga Ruben y Cachaito". For the reissue, the songs were specially remixed from the master tapes at Abbey Road Studios.