2007 two CD celebrating the life and music of the late, great Cuban musician, released on what would have been his 100th birthday. Long before his star turn on 1997"s Buena Vista Social Club album and documentary, guitarist and songwriter Compay Segundo (born Maximo Francisco Repilado Munoz) started out, in the "30s, playing classical clarinet. He later joined the popular El Conjunto Matamoros, where he developed into a world-class guitarist in the Son genre--one of the traditional Afro-Cuban styles that eventually mutated into salsa. By the early "40s, he had formed a duo called Los Compadres where he was able to showcase his songwriting gifts, melodious voice, and guitar chops, and for which he invented a seven-stringed instrument called the armonico. In the mid "50s, when the duo parted ways, he formed his own band, which played together until his death at 96 in 2003. 28 tracks. Rhino UK.