Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club on 'Adios Tour'

They were forgotten masters of a long-ago sound, their faces deeply lined and their hands spotted with age.
     
Then, suddenly, at an age when many performers would be retired, the members of this old-school band found themselves playing in some of the most hallowed venues around the world, sharing stages with the likes of Sting and Shakira.
     
After rocketing into the spotlight in the late 1990s, the Buena Vista Social Club became nothing less than Cuba's soundtrack to the world. Nearly two decades later, the remaining members of the group are preparing to disband after one last farewell tour.
     
"Many of the musicians have their own plans," said a visibly emotional Jesus "Aguje" Ramos, a trombonist and orchestra leader who has been with the group since the beginning. "They must be given a chance."
    
He spoke in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press before the group left Cuba last week for its globe-trotting swan song.
     
"The name of the tour is very strong - the 'Adios Tour,'" Ramos said. "But for me it's more of an 'until next time.' We are musicians, and we have to do this."
     
The Buena Vista Social Club was born when U.S. musician and producer Ry Cooder traveled to the island in the 1990s and brought group members together to lay down their haunting 14-track album. The record won a Grammy, and a documentary of the same name was nominated for an Oscar.
     
The catchy opening chords of "Chan Chan" still echo through the cobblestone streets of Old Havana each day, played by roving bands of musicians who know what tourists want to hear. The group's interpretation of classics like "El Cuarto de Tula" and "Dos Gardenias" are also frequently...