This appearance began with London Latin crew Grupo X making a brave stab at warming up the early crowd with their dance-friendly originals.

Featuring a warm-sounding horn trio of two trombones plus alto sax and flute, their authentic salsa also recalled Herbie Hancock-style Latin jazz.

The richness of the Buena Vista Social Club experience has been due in no small part to the understated presence of bassist Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez.

His subsequent CD and these live shows confirm what a master he is; several players from the recording were here, many disparate elements all anchored by Cachaito's sonorous tone.

Venerable flautist Policarpo "Polo" Tamayo led the most authentic sections with funky interjections from the horns of Antonio Jimenez, tenor sax, and Yaure Muniz, trumpet, and also from Manuel Galban's ringing guitar.

Playing, too, was Cuba's commanding conga maestro Miguel "Anga" Diaz, and Jamaican Hammond organist Bigga Morrison added a dub element on some tracks. Cachaito's "laboratory" sections included the vigorous scratching of French DJ Nasty's decks.

Redencion and Conversacion led to a rousing finale: A tumbao piece built on seminal Mingus bass riffs from Haitian Fight Song and II BS.

The encore began with Nasty leading the band into a big beat-style descarga, with Cachaito's loping bass to the fore. The result was another wild celebration of the best Latin jazz has to offer.